Belgium: the Cathobel agency closes” “

As already announced on 23 September, Cathobel, the Catholic press agency of Belgium, is to close. “For three years – write the agency’s president Eric De Beukelaer, Luc Tielemans, administrative director, and Bernadette Lennerts, senior editor – Cathobel has provided news on the life of the Church and religious activity in general in Belgium and […]

di Redazione

Spain: in memoriam John XXIII ” “

Privato and Marco Roncalli, respectively nephew and grand-nephew of Pope John XXIII, participated in recent days in a Day of Tribute to the great protagonists of the twentieth century at Oviedo, in Spain. Called “Memoria de los Grandes”, and promoted by the Prince of Asturias Foundation, the event enabled the closest surviving members of the families […]

di Redazione

Scotland: spiritual assistance for alcoholics” “

The spread of the scourge of alcoholism, its devastating consequences at the social level, and the current debate on the prolongation of the hours of sale of alcoholic drinks in pubs, have led Father Gerry Nugent, parish priest of St. Patrick, at Andiston, archdiocese of Glasgow, to promote a series of spiritual initiatives aimed at […]

di Redazione

great britain" "

The city on the hill” “

Former adviser to Tony Blair on the European Union, with extensive experience of the inner working of government over the last twenty years, UK ambassador in Brussels for five years, private secretary of Prime Minister John Major and of three Foreign Ministers, adviser to Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Catholic Primate of England and Wales, Sir Stephen […]

di Redazione

germany" "

A fresh start ” “” “

A “genuine new start” in relations between Orthodox and Catholics, after years of division and misunderstanding, “a purification of memory”: that’s how Cardinal Karl Lehmann , president of the German Bishops’ Conference, describes the significance of the annulment of the reciprocal excommunication between Orthodox and Catholics in 1054, lifted on 7 December 1965. The cardinal […]

di Redazione

Ecumenism" "

Taizé: frère Roger’s letter and that of the Pope” “

50,000 youths from all over Europe will converge on Milan from 28 December to 1st January to participate in the 28th ecumenical meeting promoted by the Taizé community. Each will receive on his/her arrival an unfinished letter from frère Roger, the founder of the Taizé community. Frère Roger – explains the community – had begun […]

di Redazione

England: the bishops on women in the episcopate” “

“Although the ordination of women bishops in the Church of England would undoubtedly create an additional major obstacle to any future full communion with the Roman Catholic Church, and might further impair the degree of communion already existing, the Catholic bishops of England and Wales remain committed to maintaining as much unity as possible with […]

di Redazione

european union" "

An uphill task” “

A summit dominated by uncertainty and by a weakened pro-European spirit: that’s the image presented by the European Council of Ministers on 15-16 December to half a billion citizens of the Union. Irrespective of what results come out of the negotiations between the 25 heads of state and of government, the process of European integration […]

di Redazione

Renewable energy sources” “

The European Commission adopted the eagerly awaited “Action Plan on Biomasses” last week. It contains measures to promote the increased production and consumption of renewable energy sources, in particular those derived from the transformation of forestry products (wood), agriculture (cereals, sugar, oil-yielding plants, and recycled oils) and waste materials. The Plan, according to the Commissioner […]

di Redazione

Investments on research stagnant” “

Eurostat – the statistics office of the European Union – has published the data relating to the percentage of GDP allocated to investments in the sector of Technological Research and Development in 2004. The general difficulty at the EU level as a whole to increase investments in this sector is confirmed: the EU25 average remains […]

di Redazione