Germany: towards Stuttgart, "Together for Europe"” “

Joining together to make visible the richness of Christian life in Europe and communicating the importance and actuality of the faith: these are the objectives of the rally to be held in Stuttgart on 8 May, when over 150 movements of Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox tradition will meet for the international rally “Together for Europe”. […]

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Ireland: the bishops and religious education ” “

“A suitable method to promote religious education (RE), that is geared to the individual needs of pupils, parents, teachers and schools” and that “will lead to greater clarity about the objectives, procedures, expectations and role of RE in secondary schools”: that’s how Linda Quigley, head of the national catechetical Office of the Irish Episcopal Conference, […]

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Czech Republic: "pilgrimage of peoples"” “

On Friday, 6 February, the Czech Catholic bishops appealed to the faithful of the country to participate in the “pilgrimage of peoples” to the Marian sanctuary at Mariazell on 22 May, culmination of the Congress of the Catholics of Central Europe (MEKT). Participation, says the document, expresses the “sense of responsibility” for Europe. “On the […]

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Belgium: a dossier on St. Valentine” “

The Catholic Church of Belgium is offering visitors to its official site a dossier on “St. Valentine”: “on 14 February – says the introduction to the dossier – lovers the world over celebrate St. Valentine with affectionate words, bouquets of flowers and other romantic gifts”. Although the liturgical reform of 1969 did not include St. […]

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Switzerland: the bishops on right of asylum” “

The Swiss Episcopal Conference has issued a communiqué on the procedure of consultation for the partial revision of the provisions on asylum (procedural questions, funding and expulsion). The amendments take on board the principles expressed by the programme of exemption of 2003, according to which cantons would no longer receive rebates for the social subsidies […]

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Holland: "ascetic or hedonist?", a test for Lent” “

A test to “measure” one’s own lifestyle and its degree of “sobriety” is being proposed not by a woman’s magazine, but by the official website of the Dutch Catholic Church – www.katholieknederland.nl – in preparation for Lent. The aim of the test is to stress the actuality and richness of Lent. After replying to sixteen […]

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Spain: the family at risk” “

Spain risks becoming a country of zero demographic growth, with a “post-Christian culture averse to life and without hope”: the dire warning is given by the bishops in charge of the family ministry in the new family Directory recently published by the Episcopal Conference. The 250-page manual was officially presented in Madrid on 2 February. […]

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italy-slovenia" "

The last European wall?” “

A mosaic in place of the little wall: 50 centimetres of concrete, topped by a metre and half of wire fence. It hardly recalls the Berlin Wall, but ever since 1947 it has marked a barrier of separation between Gorizia and Nova Gorica. In that year, in fact, following the signing of the peace treaty, […]

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european union" "

Beginning on 1st May” “

A proposal “at once ambitious and realistic”: on Tuesday, 10 February, during the session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the Commission presented a “communication” that outlines the financial prospects for the period 2007-2013, and specifies the budgetary measures necessary to support the continental economy and extend EU policies to the ten new members of […]

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Agriculture, refunds” “

The European Commission has decided to ask member states to refund 143.18 million euros as a result of violations of the regulations on agricultural expenditures and the inadequacy of national control procedures. In the exercise of its statutory duty to control the use of EU resources as part of the common agricultural policy, the Executive […]

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