European Council in Barcelona” “

“Spring European Council” in Barcelona from 15 to 16 March: first summit of the heads of state and of government of the EU under the Spanish Presidency. The meeting will be dedicated to economic, social and environmental questions, following the path laid down by the Lisbon Strategy in 1999. So, apart from Prime Ministers and […]

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Social policies: the recipe of the EP” “

The European Parliament, meeting in plenary session in Strasbourg from 11 to 14 March, has approved by a large majority the Report of Bruno Trentin (PSE, I) on the situation of the European economy. The Report and Resolution of the EP are preparatory to the forthcoming Recommendation of the Commission on Major Guidelines of Economic […]

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European Union" "

EU institutions: greater transparency” “

In the course of its plenary session in Strasbourg (11-14 March), the European Parliament (EP) approved the Commission’s report and resolution presented by Ole Andreasen (ELDR, DK) on Communication relating to a new framework of cooperation for the EU’s information and communication policies. The document of the Commission was a response to the criticisms directed […]

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Towards sustainable development in Europe” “

“When people say that Europe is based on the economy we must specify what economy that means: not only currency and bankers, but also economic and social progress, high level of employment, balanced and sustainable development. Objectives that go far beyond the currency”. So said the economist Alberto Quadrio Curzio in addressing a conference on […]

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Croatia and France: a last farewell to Cardinals Kuharic and Billé” “

Europe has lost two important Church leaders in the space of two days. They are the archbishop emeritus of Zagreb, Card. Franjo Kuharic, who died on 11 March, and Card. Louis-Marie Billé, archbishop of Lyons and former president of the French Bishops’ Conference, who died following a serious illness on 12 March. Card. Kuharic was […]

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Spain: Day of vocations to the priesthood” “

“Seeds of hope” is the slogan of the Day of vocations to the priesthood to be celebrated by the Spanish Church on Sunday, 17 March. The objective of the Day is to raise the awareness of Christian communities about the need for vocations to the priesthood, by familiarizing them with the service that priests make […]

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Italy: the Church is counting on the parishes” “

Parishes and “pastoral units” are, in the ecclesial sphere, the two structures from which we need to start out to “rejuvenate” the “vitality of the Christian faith of our people and their sense of belonging to the Church”. So said Cardinal Camillo Ruini, president of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI), on opening the work of […]

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Greece: an Orthodox delegation visits the Pope” “

“Reciprocal personal acquaintance”, the “exchange of information” and “frank dialogue” are the essential conditions “for a collaboration that may permit Catholics and Orthodox to offer together a living witness of their common Christian heritage” in Europe. So said the Pope on receiving in audience the members of the delegation of the Orthodox Church of Greece, […]

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Council of Barcelona: KEK’s letter to Aznar ” “

“Sustainable development is unrealizable if due account is not taken of the ethical dimension”, but in the existing documents of the European Union the presence of this dimension “seems to us inadequate”. So writes Keith Jenkins, director of the Church and Society Commission of the KEK (Conference of European Churches) in a letter sent to […]

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South-East Europe: meeting of bishops in Slovenia” “

A “new evangelization” for the countries of South-East Europe at a time when the peoples of the Balkans are working to reconcile the memories of the past and to look to the future: this was the commitment assumed by the presidents of the Episcopal Conferences of the region, at the end of a meeting held […]

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