ADVENT 2007

France: a cyber-retreat

Advent, time for hope, peace and solidarity. The days preceding Christmas follow these three directives in France as envisaged by Pax Christi which adds to the traditional charitable initiatives other special ones such as the spiritual “Cyber-retreat”. From December 2, 2007 until January 13, 2008, every Sunday of the Advent, those who will send their […]

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Belgium: “Yearning to learn”

“Yearning to learn” is the topic of the 2007 Advent campaign of “Living together”, the solidarity initiative undertaken in 2003 by the Church of Belgium which this year focuses on social exclusion, illiteracy, lack of access to culture: insurmountable barriers for those who have a “yearning to learn”. To sensitize the public opinion on this […]

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United Kingdom: “at home for Christmas”

“Go back home for Christmas is the title of the new campaign organized by the “Catholic Agency to support evangelization”, of the Bishops Conference of England and Wales to welcome all those Catholic who didn’t enter a Church for years. Begun the first Sunday of the Advent, the initiative intends to reach out to hundreds […]

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Malta: doors open to the faithful

In view of the forthcoming Christmas holidays and of the new year, Maltese bishops Msgr. Paul Cremona and Msgr. Annetto Depasquale will open episcopates to greet all those who wish to exchange Christmas wishes. According to the Episcopal press office, those interested to meet the prelates will be able to do so on December 30 […]

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EUROPEAN CHURCHES: IN BRIEF

Austria: “foreign priests are not meant to fill the gap”

Priests, pastoral work assistants and religious from abroad, living and operating in the diocese of Innsbruck, “aren’t just meant to fill the gaps”, claimed the bishop of the diocese Msgr. Manfred Scheuer in the pastoral letter issued at the beginning of the Advent. Msgr. Scheuer recognized and praised the “great contribution” of foreign priests to […]

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OVERVIEW OF IDEAS

Planning the future

The conference by German-speaking pastoral theologians, held September 17-20, addressed the topic “Plural reality of communities”. The debate reported by JOHANN POCK (Bonn) in the November edition of the Herder-Korrespondenz, focused upon the criteria of structural reforms, dwelling into the historical origin of Christian communities and their functions. Through the example of new communities, was […]

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EU

Cultures and religions in dialogue

“It’s clear that Europe is faced by significant challenges that have their roots in intercultural relations. The European Year 2008 gives us a valuable opportunity to explore ways to improve intercultural dialogue and relations between the cultures of the old continent”, said European Commissioner JÁN FIGEL in presenting in Brussels on 4 December the programme […]

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Child sexual exploitation

The European Commission approved the Report on transposing national regulations of the Council’s Framework Decision in the field of child sexual exploitation and child pornography, establishing the situation of national legislation and community objectives implementation. The document, based on information filed by Member States, registers general respect of the obligation to the penal prosecution of […]

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Territorial cohesion

On November 23 -24 the Portuguese archipelagoes of the Azores adopted the first Action Program on the implementation of the EU Territorial Agenda, a policy and measures tool in the field of territorial cohesion and regional development. The 15 proposals presented by the Portuguese President together with the European Commission and the Member States, are […]

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Agricultural Reform

“Controlling the CAP health status” is the title given by the European commission to the program aimed at modernizing and rendering more efficient Community Agricultural Policy, presented last week in Brussels by Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Mariann Fischer Boel. Communication by the executive starts from the statement that “European agriculture is not ill, […]

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