Bosnia-Herzegovina: 100 years at the service of reconciliation” “

“In the worst period of the war and still today we strive to work for reconciliation among our peoples and citizens, we strive to work for the promotion of ecumenism and dialogue” to heal “the wounds of conflict”. That’s how Franjo Topic, president of the Croatian cultural association Napredak (Progress), summed up the mission of […]

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France: an alternative to Halloween” “

The youth of the diocese of Paris have organized themselves to “defend the feast of All Saints” which has been disappearing in recent years, supplanted by the more popular festivity of Halloween. To mark the feast of All Saints they will distribute throughout the city 150,000 copies of the special number of the diocesan paper, […]

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Germany: may state finance not be to the detriment of solidarity” “

German Caritas and other Church-run humanitarian organizations protested in recent days against the intention of the new Schröder government to abolish the tax-deductible status of charitable donations by firms. “ The consolidation of the state finances must not be obtained to the detriment of solidarity“, said Hellmut Puschmann, president of German Caritas. “The great willingness […]

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in brief" "

Croatia: concern about the judicial processes” “

At the end of their plenary assembly held in Krk from 20 to 23 October, the Croatian bishops issued a final communiqué in which they make some reflections on the post-war situation. “With all due gratitude to the international institutions – declares the Croatian Episcopal Conference – for everything they have done to put an […]

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history" "

Christian Democracy: ” “thing of the past?” “

“Your private life also needs to be in keeping with the principles you maintain in public life”: Alcide De Gasperi’s admonishment to the parliamentary group of Christian Democrats in Italy’s constituent Assembly after the war epitomizes the sense of the inspiration that ought to inspire and sustain Christian involvement in politics: “a witness based on […]

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bioethics" "

Fake progress” “

“On the confines of life: the relations between science, ethics and law” was the theme of an international conference held in Rome on 25 and 26 October. At the centre of attention: the attacks on life represented by abortion and euthanasia, genetic manipulations on human embryos and the diffusion of an “aseptic” view of healthcare, […]

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poverty" "

Towards an ‘inclusive’ society” “

‘Places and voices of poverty. The commitment of the European regions to social inclusion’ is the title of an international conference held in Florence on 24 and 25 October. It ended with the setting up of Retis (European transnational network for social inclusion), an association so far composed of 27 European regions and cities, aimed […]

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Hungary" "

Gypsy parishes” “

In Hungary gypsies too have their own parishes. They are described for us by Msgr. Szilard Keresztes , Greek-Catholic bishop of Hajdùdorog, a diocese comprising the whole country, with 280,000 faithful and 200 priests, almost all married. According to a census conducted in Hungary in 2001, there are 5,100,000 Latin-rite Catholics, 1,300,000 Calvinists and over […]

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What is the "Sozialwort" project?” “” “

Presented on 12 September two years ago, the “Sozialwort” project consists of three phases: the first consisted in the distribution of a questionnaire to survey the activities performed by the Churches. The second phase, presented on 12 September 2001, envisaged the publication and public discussion of the “Sozialbericht” (“Report on social engagement”), that summarizes the […]

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Austria" "

"Social" ecumenism” “

“Sozialwort” is a joint project of the fourteen Christian churches that form part of the Austrian Ecumenical Council: a body aimed at monitoring, for the first time in a unified manner, the activities performed in Austria by Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, Orthodox and Eastern Church organizations in the social field. For an update on the […]

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