European Parliament " "

Freedom and rights in the world” “” “

In one of its last plenary sessions in Strasbourg, the European Parliament adopted three specific resolutions relating to three complex political situations in which an almost total lack of safeguard and respect for human rights was registered. The resolutions in question refer in particular to: freedom of expression and religious worship in Vietnam, the searches […]

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Ue-Onu" "

Justice that reconstructs” “” “

“Doing justice to the past to reconstruct the society of the present”: that’s the aim of the International Penal Tribunal for the crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia. The judges of the Tribunal include Fausto Pocar , professor of international law at the University of Milan, who has previously served as president of the UN […]

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Holland: procession with relics to Utrecht” “

An unusual procession, concluding the celebrations forming part of the programme of events “Catholics with heart and soul”, will take place in the Dutch town of Utrecht on 7 June. It’s a procession of the relics venerated in the seven bishoprics of Holland and in the military ordinariate. The relics include that of the English […]

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Switzerland: the bishops of the lake Geneva region and G8 ” “

“The human being is at the centre of the creation. And to offer him conditions of life in peace, and in respect for his fundamental rights, constitutes an essential task for the State based on the rule of law”: so write the Catholic bishops of the Region of lake Geneva in a letter addressed to […]

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France: the Church’s position on GMO” “

GMO? “Only if they do not alter the balance of nature and are not harmful for human health”: that, in sum, is the position of the French Church on the question of genetically modified organisms (GMO), an issue that will be discussed at forthcoming meetings of the bishops. French parliamentarians have asked the Church and […]

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Ireland: St. Patrick’s cathedral in Armagh reopened” “

With a solemn ceremony, in the presence of Irish President Mary McAleese, St. Patrick’s cathedral in Armagh was reopened on Sunday 25 May, after a restoration lasting 17 months. The ceremony was officiated by the archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland Seàn Brady who thanked all the priests and faithful of the archdiocese: […]

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Germany: the bishops call for an ethical health-care reform” “

“A health-care reform based on ethical criteria”: that is what Cardinal Karl Lehmann, president of the German Episcopal Conference, intends to propose at a press conference due to be held at the Catholic Academy of Berlin on 4 June. “The German health-care system – says a press release put out by the Conference of German […]

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European Churches" "

Czech Republic: accord with the Holy See not ratified ” “

“A poor show in the international field”: so saying, the spokesman of the Czech Episcopal Conference, Daniel Herman, stigmatised the decision of the Czech Parliament on 21 May not to ratify the accord between the Czech Republic and the Holy See signed in July 2002 and awaiting ratification. “It’s a decision that reveals the rift […]

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Religious freedom” “

Spain “is one of the first nine countries in the world in which the greatest religious freedom exists”: there are “no privileges or excesses in relations between State and Catholic Church”, indeed, “religious freedom in Spain is a right upheld in article 16 of the Constitution”. The relation between Church and State in contemporary Spain […]

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Administrative elections” “

“Voting with freedom and principle is an expression of Christian commitment”, declared Archbishop Agustín García-Gasco of Valencia, commenting on the administrative elections held throughout Spain on 25 May. The results of the local elections showed an increase in the Socialist vote, even if the national government remains that of the People’s Party. Since no “single […]

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