Deficit and debt ” “

Eurostat – the EU Statistics Office – last week published the official data relating to the budget deficits and public debt for 2004 in the 25 member states of the Union. If the deficit of the Euro zone (2.7% of GDP) and of the 25-member EU (2.6% of GDP) was significantly reduced in 2004 in […]

di Redazione

Climate change” “

The first “sectorial dialogue” on the question of climate change in Europe was held at the seat of the Committee of the Regions in Brussels on 6 October. In the presence of international experts on various aspects of climate change and its causes, the sessions of work permitted the regional and local authorities – competent […]

di Redazione

holy shroud" "

"Sacred way" to the East” “

“The Winter Olympics in Turin (10-26 February 2006) will bring a variation in the number and type of pilgrims and visitor”, but perhaps also “a growth in interest in and love for the Holy Shroud”. At least that is the hope of the diocesan Commission of Turin for the Holy Shroud which, through its bulletin […]

di Redazione

media and peace" "

The contribution of Signis” “

How should the mass media speak of war, terrorism or violent crime in a way that does not foment a culture of violence but promotes, on the contrary, a culture of peace? This delicate question has prompted the reflections contained in a publication of SIGNIS (Catholic world association for communications), with the title “Media for […]

di Redazione

france" "

Not devoid of resources” “

In France “a perverse effect of the law on religious symbols” has been registered and often turns the “public structure into a sanctuary in which religions do not enter”. One of these effects was the refusal of some schools and colleges “to establish a chaplaincy, out of fear of having to grant the same authorization […]

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Germany: pilgrimage to the tomb of St. Boniface” “

With a pilgrimage to the tomb of St. Boniface in Fulda, “the apostle of the Germans”, on 3 October, the German Catholic Church commemorated the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and its consequences, in particular the deportation, expulsion and flight of German citizens from other European countries. Held on the […]

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Austria: Bishop Küng, "ethics first of all"” “

The bishop of St. Pölten, Klaus Küng, has urged politicians to beware lest the search for economic advantages leads to bypassing ethical principles. “Research that uses embryos as if they were expendable material cannot lead to anything good, not even if it is financed with EU funds”, declared the bishop, who is responsible for the […]

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Portugal, administrative elections approach” “

The forthcoming administrative elections, due to be held in Portugal on 9 October, “are an excellent opportunity” for choosing politicians in such a way that they are “closer and more attentive to the needs of the population”, says Bishop Gilberto dos Reis of Setúbal, in a statement published by the Portuguese Catholic press agency “Ecclesia”. […]

di Redazione

ccee " "

Listening and proclaiming” “

Benedict XVI, in his message to the plenary assembly of the CCEE (Rome, 29 September- 2 October), exhorted the Presidents of the 34 Bishops’ Conferences of Europe “not to be afraid of facing up to the present-day pastoral challenges, being in position to listen to the concrete conditions of man’s personal and social life, ready […]

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front page" "

Thinking and acting together” “” “

The historic events of Gdansk – the Polish city in which the struggle against Communism began in 1980 – and the start of the Solidarity movement in Poland, whose twenty-fifth anniversary we currently celebrate, have a resonance and a pertinence for all those involved with the project of European construction today. The solidarity that was […]

di Noël Treanor" "Comece" "