Belgium: ‘no’ to adoptions by homosexual couples” “

The Catholic bishops of Belgium have voiced their opposition to the ostensible right of homosexual couples to adopt children. In a statement issued on 31 May (www.catho.be) the bishops express “deep concern” in view of the parliamentary debate that threatens to open the doors to the adoption of children by homosexual couples. “We do not […]

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spain" "

Five challenges” “

Over two hundred motor coaches with thousands of participants from all over Spain will arrive in Madrid on 18 June to protest against current bills that do not support the family. With the slogan “The family is important. In support of the right to a mother and a father. In support of freedom”, the demonstration […]

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bosnia-Herzegovina " "

Still too many injustices ” “

Almost ten years have gone by since the end of the Serb-Croatian-Bosnian conflict and the Dayton accords, which de facto “designed” the contours of the new Bosnia. But the road to peace and reconciliation is still long: “Today we are having to cope with the crystallization of the injustices caused by the war”, says Monsignor […]

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laity" "

Italy: protagonists and not "clients" ” “

Cultivating vocations to the priesthood; supporting marriage and the family; renovating the fabric of ecclesial communities; fostering the role of the parish; and promoting associations at the service of the Church: these are “the necessary and providential contributions of the laity to the life of the Church” called for by Monsignor Paolo Rabitti, chairman of […]

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England: new responsibilities” “

The laity could soon have enormous new responsibilities within the Catholic Church, from taking charge of the parishes to responsibility for religious services: according to a plan presented in recent days by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Primate of the Catholic Church of England and Wales, in the diocese of Westminster many of the traditional tasks of […]

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ecumenism and dialogue" "

Germany: "first and foremost Christians"” “

Two years after the ecumenical Kirchentag of the Churches of Berlin, Cardinal Karl Lehmann, president of the German Bishops’ Conference and Evangelical Bishop Wolfgang Huber, chairman of the Council of the German Evangelical Church, have newly emphasized the aspects held in common between their Churches. The occasion for their joint declaration was the Congress of […]

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WYD: an ecumenical programme” “

Interconfessional Via Crucis, meetings and moments of dialogue for students of theology, days of social commitment and ecumenical pilgrimages: these are just some of the events on the programme of Word Youth Day in Cologne (15-21 August), which is becoming increasingly characterized by its ecumenical contents. This is especially the case this year due to […]

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Austria: Islamism and ‘Euro-Islam'” “

A trend to a “bipolar development” between “Islamism and Euro-Islam” can be observed among Muslims living in Europe, said Father Hans Vöcking, expert on Islam, in his address to the 6th Symposium on Globalization, which ended in Vienna on 6 June. Vöcking said that the 10-16 million Muslims currently living in the old continent are […]

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front page " "

The basic question” “

European policy and the Church ask themselves why the European Constitutional Treaty is not a response to the needs of contemporary Europe and has become a problem. We can surmise that the rejection in France and in Holland expresses a disagreement about the content of the Constitution and lack of confidence in the latest enlargement […]

di Andrej Saje" "Slovenia" "" "

comece " "

It’s not an absolute "no"” “

“The French and Dutch ‘no’ requires discernment about the responsibilities of politicians and of citizens themselves. This vote is in effect many-sided. We cannot deduce from it an absolute rejection of the European project”, says Msgr. Noël Treanor , general secretary of COMECE, the Commission of the episcopates of the European Community, commenting on the […]

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