Portugal, 3000 "home-based" missionaries” “

In Portugal there are 3000 missionaries “who cannot leave home” and who pray each day for the success of the new evangelization in the country. Preparations for the international Congress on the new evangelization (ICNE) were held in Lisbon on 14/15 February. The Congress is aimed at promoting the city mission in five European cities […]

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Austria: "firm opposition" to euthanasia” “

The Church is strongly opposed to any legalization of euthanasia, a prospect discussed in recent days at the level of the Council of Europe. The Church’s “firm opposition” was reiterated by Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, president of the Austrian Episcopal Conference, in an address at Tainach/Tinje in Carinthia on 22 February, during which he spoke of […]

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Germany: plenary assembly of the bishops” “

A document that helps to take account of changes in funerary culture, the drafting of a declaration on the integration of immigrants and current questions relating to the future of compulsory military service: these are the main issues to be discussed by the German bishops during their spring plenary assembly to be held in Bensberg […]

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Lithuania: National Independence Day” “

On 16 February the archbishop of Vilnius, Cardinal Audrys J. Backis, celebrated a Mass in the cathedral for National Independence Day in the presence of the head of state, Rolandas Paksas, and numerous political leaders. Commenting on Paul’s teaching on Christian unity, the archbishop reminded “everyone of their duty to preserve unity and truth” and […]

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Lithuania: a prayer book for soldiers” “

Prayers, hymns and the main truths of the Catholic faith in a 474-page book: called the “Warrior’s Prayer Book”, it was presented at the Ministry of Defence in Vilnius on 18 February. It is the first publication of its kind aimed at Catholic soldiers. Present at the book presentation were, among others, the apostolic nuncio […]

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Belarus: registration of parishes” “

The Apostolic Nuncio in Belarus Msgr. Ivan Jurkoviè met with Greek-Catholic priests from all over the country in Minsk in recent days. The meeting took place at the end of a pastoral conference of priests chaired by the Apostolic Visitator for the Greek-Catholics in Belarus, archimandrite Siarhiej Gajek. During the meeting the apostolic nuncio urged […]

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March 2004″ “

We present the main events involving the Catholic Church and the other Christian Churches in March. 1 263rd ordinary Assembly of the Swiss Bishops’ Conference (1-3), at Villars-sur-Glâne, Lausanne – Spring Plenary Assembly of the German Bishops’ Conference (1-4), at Bergisch-Gladbach – Meeting of the UN Committee for the protection of the rights of migrant […]

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slovakia-bulgaria" "

A new spring?” “

Just over 5 months ago John Paul II made his third visit to Slovakia. On Saturday 14 February over 2500 pilgrims, over 200 priests and the whole Slovak Episcopal Conference, together with a government delegation, repaid the Pope’s visit. In this regard we are presenting a brief reflection by the spokesman of the Slovak bishops, […]

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great britain" "

An easy target” “

It was the BBC itself, some time ago, that announced to the British public, in a press release, that it was planning an animated cartoon called “Popetown”, in which the Catholic cardinals are “sinister, corrupt and mysteriously rich” and the Pope is “an old man” whose “every whim is satisfied”. The BBC, known in the […]

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the ten of 1st may (2)" "

Cyprus, a wall to be torn down” “

We continue our review of the ten countries that will enter the European Union on 1st May. This week we will discuss the island of Cyprus which risks still being divided by the time it enters the EU. The historical events (see fact file below) that led to the partition of the island into zones […]

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