lent (1)" "

Seven weeks without…” “

As Lent approaches, initiatives in the various European countries are being stepped up, in line with John Paul II’s appeal in his message for Lent, which dedicates particular attention to children and their condition. The Pope recalls that “Jesus had a particular love for children”, and alongside them set the “very least of our brethren”, […]

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France: a musical inspired by Mary” “

A musical about Mary will be staged in the major theatres of France in March and April. Composer of the music and author of the play is a 37-year-old German priest, Markus Wittal, a member of the Emmanuel Community. He has in the past composed masses and religious cantatas, as well as a musical comedy […]

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Spain: news flashes to priests by SMS” “

A maximum of 160 characters per message: urgent news flashes are now being sent by SMS to the mobile phones of all priests in the Canaries. The initiative has been taken by the diocese of the Canary Islands, traditionally considered a pioneer in social communications in Spain. The service, coordinated by Mario Santana, has been […]

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Switzerland: the Bible written by hand” “

On 12 February, an ecumenical delegation delivered to the highest authorities of the Swiss Confederation the “manuscript Bible”, a 6-volume opus running to 3,500 pages, all written by hand by over 2,000 people in 2003. Launched by the Christian Churches during Bible Year, the project was supported by large numbers of people who agreed to […]

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England: Cardinal O’Connor, "the scandal of poverty"” “

“Poverty is the greatest scandal and scourge of mankind”: so declared Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, president of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, in his speech to the Conference on globalization promoted by the UK’s Ministry of the Treasury on 16 February. The summit was attended by government representatives, members of international financial institutions, NGOs […]

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ccee-comece" "

CCEE: the bishops of South-East Europe meet in Belgrade” “

The presidents of the Episcopal Conferences of South-East Europe are due to meet in Belgrade from 20 to 22 February. The seven countries represented at the meeting are all countries in which the Catholic Church forms a minority, while the majority is either Orthodox or Moslem: Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia Herzegovina, Greece, Serbia and Montenegro, Romania, […]

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COMECE: European congress in Spain” “

“Saying ‘Europe’ must be equivalent to saying ‘openness'”: these words from the Apostolic Exhortation “Ecclesia in Europa” (no. 111) sum up the challenge of the European Union at a time when it is about to open its borders to ten new member states. The challenge will also be examined by the European congress being held […]

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Refugees: Amendments to EU Directive on asylum ” “

The draft European Directive on asylum “does not ensure adequate protection to genuine refugees” and “violates the right of asylum seekers to have each of their applications evaluated individually”. The allegation is made by five Christian organizations, which have appealed to the Council of Ministers of the European Union for this draft to be amended […]

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Biodiversity” “

The seventh world Conference on biological diversity opened in Kuala Lumpur, in Malaysia, on 9 February. Its 188 participants are the delegates of the States, international organizations and NGOs of the sector that signed the International Convention on Biodiversity. Focal point of the Conference, that will end on 20 February, is the adoption of the […]

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Committee of the Regions: new chairman” “

The German Christian-Democrat Peter Straub has been elected Chairman of the EU’s Committee of the Regions for a two-year term. The Committee, meeting in plenary session in Brussels last week, voted by a large majority in favour of Straub, currently President of the Land of Baden-Wuertemberg. He will succeed Sir Albert Bore, Mayor of Birmingham. […]

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