France: dialogue between rabbis and bishops” “

At the invitation of Rabbi Israel Singer, head of the World Jewish Congress, nine French bishops left for New York on 23 February to meet with the representatives of the Jewish community and exchange reflections on the question of “tradition and modernity”. In January a group of 15 cardinals from all over the world was […]

di Redazione

Slovenia: Ljubljana, a referendum on the mosque” “

The citizens of Ljubljana will decide with a referendum on 4 April whether to authorize or not the Moslem minority to build the first mosque in Slovenia. The decision to hold “a referendum on the building of an Islamic religious and cultural centre” on the outskirts of the capital was taken by the town council […]

di Redazione

Anglicans: too "strident" a debate” “

“Sorrow” for the “strident” tones used in the debate being conducted in the Anglican Communion on gay priests and homosexual unions has been expressed by the members of the Commission set up by the archbishop of Canterbury, following the controversy that erupted after the ordination of a self-declared gay bishop in the USA. The Commission, […]

di Redazione

Germany: the Koran too in the classroom?” “

The first university centre for the training of teachers in Islam in state schools has been opened at the University of Münster, in Germany. The centre was inaugurated at the very time that a debate is going on in the Region about whether it is appropriate to teach Islam in state schools. Hitherto only the […]

di Redazione

russia " "

Hope not dashed” “

The hope of “turning over a fresh page” in relations with the Russian Orthodox Church “has not been dashed”. So said Cardinal WALTER KASPER , president of the Pontifical Council of Christian Unity, in an interview with the Russian Catholic weekly “Svet Evangelia” (The Light of the Gospel) following his meeting – behind closed doors […]

di Redazione

culture " "

Unity and diversity” “

The European Union is about to be enlarged and, in one fell swoop, to extend its frontiers to the countries that were once the satellites of Moscow and to the islands of the Mediterranean. What will be the problems and the advantages for the “old” and “new” members? Will the EU Constitution be approved before […]

di Redazione

Ecumenism" "

Cyprus: Orthodox Church against the reunification of the island” “

A plan to “de-hellenize” Cyprus: that is the accusation made by the head of the Orthodox Church of Greece, Archbishop Christodoulos, against the UN plan for the reunification of the island. He asked the faithful to pray fervently for the failure of the negotiations. During a homily in a church in Athens, Christodoulos affirmed that […]

di Redazione

QUARESIMA: MONS. CAFFARRA (BOLOGNA), IL PECCATO PIÙ GRANDE È VIVERE “COME SE DIO NON ESISTESSE”

” “Esistere “come se Dio non esistesse”: è questa, secondo mons. Carlo Caffarra, arcivescovo di Bologna, “l’intima natura di ogni peccato”, particolarmente evidente nel rito dell’imposizione delle ceneri, dove centrali sono le parole: “ricordati, o uomo, che sei polvere ed in polvere ritornerai”. Nell’omelia di oggi, mercoledì delle Ceneri, il nuovo arcivescovo di Bologna ha […]

di Redazione

TERRA SANTA: VESCOVI SVIZZERI, “LE OFFERTE DELLA QUARESIMA OFFRONO UNA SPERANZA AI CRISTIANI”

” “Un’esortazione “all’aiuto e al sostegno per le tante famiglie cristiane della Terra Santa, che attendono un segno d’amore e di vincolo dai nostri Paesi”. A rivolgerla sono i vescovi svizzeri in un messaggio diffuso oggi per ricordare che le offerte raccolte durante la Quaresima e, in particolare nella Settimana Santa, offrono “una speranza ai […]

di Redazione

QUARESIMA: LETTERA DI MONS. FRANCK (LUSSEMBURGO) A FAVORE DELL’INSEGNAMENTO RELIGIOSO A SCUOLA

” “L’insegnamento della religione a scuola aiuta la crescita interiore dei giovani e la comprensione della storia e della cultura europee. E’ la tesi sostenuta da mons. Fernand Franck, arcivescovo di Lussemburgo, che nella lettera pastorale per la Quaresima 2004 – dal titolo “Condividere la fede. La catechesi, una sfida per la Chiesa” – affronta […]

di Redazione