Cooperation between KEK and CCME reinforced” “

The Conference of the European Churches (KEK), which recently ended its 22nd assembly in Trondheim, will reinforce its cooperation with the Commission of the Churches for Migrants in Europe (CCME) with a view to mobilizing the European Churches against racism and xenophobia and defending the rights of migrants and refugees. These are “fields in which […]

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ecumenism" "

The "Paul VI" Prize awarded to Paul Ricoeur” “

“The research of Paul Ricoeur shows how fruitful is the relation between philosophy and theology, between faith and culture”. So said John Paul II, on honouring the ninety-year-old philosopher of Reformed faith with the international “Paul VI” Prize on 5 July. The award is given every five years to a personality or institution that has […]

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WYD 2005" "

Questions and answers” “

The process of preparation of the 20th World Youth Day (WYD), due to be held in Cologne from 11 to 21 August 2005, has also begun on-line. The official website of WYD, www.wyd2005.org , has been inaugurated in recent days. It is available in 5 languages (German, English, French, Italian and Spanish). “The site – […]

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Sunday" "

A day of celebration again” “

The question of how to understand and revive Sunday as the “Lord’s Day” has been repeatedly posed by the European Episcopal Conferences over the last twenty years. At the same time, the debate on the coincidence of this day with the weekly rest-day seems to be periodically re-ignited in the continent (for EU legislation and […]

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gipsies" "

A Statute for the caravan” “

“Granting gipsies a recognized personal Statute, eliminating the cases of statelessness and issuing them with identity papers that are non derogatory but identical to those of other citizens”: that’s one of the requests contained in the final document of the 5th World Congress of the pastoral care of gipsies on “Church and gipsies, towards ‘a […]

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France" "

Reinforcing the sacramental "yes"” “

Considering the increasing fragility of marital relationships, French bishops (Assembly of Lourdes 2002) express firm hope that “church marriages should not be considered consumer goods and an automatic right”. They are actually requesting “at least one year of preparation, because all too often, the bride and groom have no religious culture at all and ignore […]

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Austria" "

The social power of the Gospel” “

The Central European Katholikentag, ecumenical social thought, the defence of life and the year of the family were the main points discussed at the general assembly of Austrian bishops, held at the Marian sanctuary of Mariazell in late June. The press release issued at the end of the meeting describes the Katholikentag, in particular, as […]

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Austria: pilgrimage of the "WYD Cross"” “

A pilgrimage along the “road of reconciliation”, bearing the Cross of World Youth Day, began on 1st July and is due to end at the end of August. The pilgrimage will take the cross, and bring the message to reconciliation, to many countries: Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The […]

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Poland: young people to Auschwitz” “

“Memory of peace”: that’s the title of the pilgrimage made to Auschwitz in recent weeks by some 500 young people, including Jews, Moslems and Christians from Israel and Palestine, and French and Belgian youngsters from families born from mixed marriages. The pilgrimage was led by Father Emile Shoufani, Greek-Melkite priest and director of the Arab-Israeli […]

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England: 7th Forum of Churches ” “

The 7th Forum of Churches Together in England (CTE), the largest and most representative association of English churches, will be held from 18 to 20 July. Over 300 representatives of the national churches, ecumenical organizations and local groups will meet together at Swanwick in Derbyshire. The Forum will be chaired by the chairmen of the […]

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