ENGLAND AND WALES

They saw his fidelity

A priest for every 800 Catholics, average age 61; a growth in the number of vocations that has been constant over the last four years, and is concentrated in important cities like London; and 150 seminarians preparing to become priests today: that, in brief, is the situation of vocations in England and Wales. Father PAUL […]

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ECUMENISM

To our wonder

The renewal of European society is not a utopia. It has already begun. Compared with the meeting in 2004, which launched the dialogue between movements and new communities – including such Catholic movements as the Focolari, St. Edigio Community and Renewal in the Spirit – the second “Together for Europe” (Stuttgart, 11-13 May) highlighted the […]

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RELIGIOUS TOURISM

Even the slum is a “sanctuary”

From the Alps to the Pyramids: that’s how once could paraphrase the experience of the diocesan pilgrimage society (ODP) of Lugano in Canton Ticino, active since 1975. The society was founded to continue the work previously carried out by Father Alfredo Leber, historic figure of the Church of Lugano, who was the first to dedicate […]

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FRANCE

Europe is waiting

Nicolas Sarkozy has officially become the new President, the 23rd, of the French Republic. The ceremony of his swearing into office took place at the Elysée on 16 May. Sarkozy arrived there accompanied by his family, and was received by the outgoing President Jacques Chirac, who had taken his leave with a speech on television […]

di Henri Madelin COMECE (Brussels-Strasbourg)

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

On common principles

“It was a very positive meeting which expressed the will to continue the dialogue between the European Union and the religious communities, based on common principles”, said FRANCO FRATTINI , Vice-President of the European Commission. Frattini had participated in the meeting between the institutions of Brussels (European Commission, Parliament and Council) and the representatives of […]

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Cooperation in South-East Europe

In the presence of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso and the President of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Poettering, a meeting of the heads of state and of government of the countries of South-East Europe was held in Zagreb on 11 May, on the occasion of the tenth […]

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Spring of Europe

“Spring of Europe 2007” has now in full swing. This is a project of the European Union that was introduced in 2003 and that has involved children and schools to “reflect, learn and make their own voice heard on European issues”. In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome, the theme for […]

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European citizenship

The new EU programme “Europe for Citizens” was launched in recent days. Its objective consists in “promoting civic participation in European questions”. The programme, endowed with a budget of 215 million euros for the period 2007-2013, is subdivided into four main actions: active citizens for Europe (twinning between towns); a civil society for Europe (work […]

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Commitment to education in the developing countries

During a recent conference in Brussels, the main international donors pledged to accelerate the procedures to reach the Millennium Objective for development, so that, by 2015, all children in the world be able to complete at least primary education. Today some 77 million children are completely excluded from any form of education at all. On […]

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European dailies and periodicals

There in wide coverage in the German press on the new President of France Sarkozy, who lost no time in visiting Berlin on 16 May, the same day on which he was sworn into office in the Elysée. The weekly DER SPIEGEL (14/5) comments: “Berlin will have to get used to the fact that in […]

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