Spain, in favour of genuine marriage” “

“Genuine marriage is marriage between a man and a woman” and “two persons of the same sex don’t have the right to marry each other. The State, for its part, cannot recognize this non-existent right, by enacting in an arbitrary manner what lies outside its authority and what would undoubtedly and very seriously damage the […]

di Redazione

Ireland: possible visit of the Pope ” “

The invitation of the Irish bishops to the Pope to make a pastoral visit to Ireland has “in principle” been accepted, said Archbishop Seàn Brady of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland, after receiving information from the Vatican’s Secretariat of State. “We are happy about this reply and hope that the Pope’s visit may take […]

di Redazione

great britain" "

Will for transparency” “

COPCA – the Catholic Office for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults in England – published the results of its annual report for 2003 on 12 July. Established by the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales in 2001 – when the Conference accepted Lord Nolan’s ‘Programme for Action’, an independent review of Child Protection […]

di Redazione

Environment: against flooding” “

The European Commission presented the first EU Plan against flooding last week. In the last six years alone, flooding has caused 700 victims, 500,000 homeless and damages estimated at 25 billion euros in the EU. Two considerations lie at the basis of the Plan. First, generalized climate changes have caused a growth in the phenomena […]

di Redazione

A necessary census” “

Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, made a provocative claim in recent days, though one that conceals justifiable alarm about the situation in member states. In the view of Eurostat, in fact, no one is able at the present time to declare with any precision the number of people who inhabit the European […]

di Redazione

The second charter of the Regions of Europe” “

“To overcome the frontiers”. That is the slogan and the principle that accompanied the recent signing of the second “Charter of the Regions of Europe” at Arnhem, in Holland. The document was subscribed by the Conference of the Legislative Assemblies of the Regions of Europe (CLARE) and the Committee of the Regions of the EU, […]

di Redazione

Therapeutic abortion not a chargeable offence” “

The Strasbourg-based Court for Human Rights of the Council of Europe has ruled that an involuntary therapeutic abortion due to a medical error is not a chargeable offence. The sentence of 13 July was issued by the court in response to the action brought by a French woman forced to undergo a therapeutic abortion in […]

di Redazione

International dailies and periodicals ” “

The UN resolution asking Israel to dismantle its “wall” on the West Bank monopolises the attention of the main international dailies. Many devote analysis to the consequences of this veto on relations between USA and the European Union. “The Europeans are no longer neutral”. According to the front-page article in the Herald Tribune (22/7), signed […]

di Redazione

front page" "

A new chapter” “

Politics returns centre stage of the European Union, with a plenary session of the European Parliament full of events and debates on the future of the 25-member EU. The Assembly, meeting in Strasbourg from 20 to 22 July, elected Josep Borrell, Spanish Socialist, as president of the EP; it then chose the 14 vice-presidents, set […]

di Gianni Borsa" "SIR correspondent in Strasbourg" "" "" "" "" "

Youth" "

The roots of the future” “

They arrived in Genoa from all over Europe. For a week, from 5 to 12 July, over 800 teenagers from Poland, Slovakia, Serbia, Montenegro, Romania, Portugal, Austria, Belgium, Germany and Finland had a chance to get to know Genoa, which this year, together with Lille, has been designated European capital of culture. Numerous events were […]

di Redazione