Vocations in Europe: overcoming exhaustion” “” “

A meeting of leaders of the national services for vocations in Europe ended in Strasbourg on 4 July. It was attended by some fifty delegates from 25 European countries. The meeting – which this year had the theme, “Master, what must I do? Guiding the young on the path of vocations” – was promoted by […]

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France: Semaines sociales on Europe” “

Three days of debate to “invent European society”: that’s the aim of the Semaines sociales of France, which this year are being held in Lille, European capital of culture 2004, from 23 to 26 September, and will have a decidedly European character. Discussion will focus on the family and society, peace, freedom and religions, democracy […]

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Germany: de facto unions, "a mistaken step"” “

“A further step in the wrong direction”: that’s the view expressed by the German Episcopal Conference on the bill on de facto unions, presented by the Greens and the SPD to the German Federal Parliament. The judgement of the German bishops was expressed in a communiqué of 2 July. The Episcopal Conference recalled its own […]

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Spain: Feast of the Apostolate of the Sea on 16 July” “

A denunciation of the unjust and precarious living conditions of seafarers and an exhortation to accompany and help them is made by Bishop Luis Quinteiro, Episcopal delegate for the apostolate of the sea, in his message on the occasion of the feast of the Virgin of Carmen, which falls on 16 July, and on which […]

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Austria: posters and slogans to reflect on vocations” “

“May he who wants to open hearts become a surgeon or a priest”; “May he who wants to bring people light become an electrician or a priest”; “May he who wants to give people strength become a fitness instructor or a priest”: messages like these appear on posters and cards distributed in the churches of […]

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great britain" "

By small steps” “

6,100 churches in Great Britain, 330,000 churchgoers every Sunday, 2400 pastors at work in 33 different districts: these are the figures of the Protestant evangelical movement founded by John Wesley during the Industrial Revolution to bring the Christian message to the impoverished inhabitants of the country’s new and expanding urban centres. Wesley, touring the country […]

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Six months’ Dutch Presidency” “

The Netherlands assumed the revolving Presidency of the European Council on 1st July and will hold it until 31 December. It promises to be a “dynamic” semester, its agenda determined by the problems of enlargement, the Constitution, the definition of the budget and the fight against terrorism. The programme of the Dutch Presidency will be […]

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Council of Europe” “

The Council of Europe (45 member states representing 800 million citizens) met in plenary session in its Strasbourg headquarters from 21 to 25 June. Numerous questions were on the order of the day, beginning with the appointment of the new general Secretary: the assembly elected the Englishman Terry Davis, whose task it will be to […]

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Internet: "EuropaGo"” “

Having fun and learning at the same time. Playing games with the aim of understanding the origins, objectives and working of the Union of the Twenty-Five. That’s the sense of “EuropaGo”, whose slogan is appropriately: “Learning about Europe can be fund”. The new EU computer game is now available on the Internet. It can be […]

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Una Regola per l’Europa” “” “

Povertà, silenzio, obbedienza, lavoro, responsabilità, umiltà. Sono alcune delle parole chiave che dovrebbero entrare a far parte del vocabolario della nuova Europa. Almeno così la pensa l’abate primate dei monaci benedettini, padre Notker Wolf , che per il Sir, alla vigilia della festa liturgica di San Benedetto (11 luglio), patrono principale d’Europa, rilegge la Regola […]

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