Italy: Europe, future of the parish and politics” “

The six months’ Italian presidency of the EU represents “a very important phase” in the development of the European Union, especially for the approval of the constitutional Treaty, said Cardinal Camillo Ruini, president of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI) on opening the permanent Council of Italian bishops (now being held in Rome until 25 September). […]

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European Churches" "

Albania: celebrations for Mother Teresa” “

“An important decision by the Albanian government was to set up an interministerial and interreligious commission to coordinate the events and celebrations planned for the beatification of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. That’s commendable, but within this commission I’ve insisted that the emphasis be not placed on the outward aspects, but that efforts be made to […]

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Holland: church marriages increasing?” “

Marriages celebrated in church are allegedly growing in popularity: that is the claim made by the survey findings published in recent days by the magazine Bruid & Bruidegom (“Bride & Bridegroom”). It’s a “significant growth” – stresses the magazine – if one considers that the percentage of those who intend to get married also by […]

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Germany" "

ZdK: euthanasia, euroconstitution” “

The chairman of the ZdK, central Committee of German Catholics, Hans Joachim Meyer, expressed the committee’s view on both euthanasia and on the draft European Constitution in a statement on 19 September. On the former question, Meyer appealed to the deputies of the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe to oppose “with determination” the […]

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Child poverty and reforms” “

“The campaign against child poverty is more than a social question of our time: it’s fundamental for the very survival of our society”: so said Ralf Sauer, diocesan head of the Bdkj (League of Young German Catholics), speaking in Würzburg, on the occasion of the World Day of the Child, celebrated on 20 September. “In […]

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Spiritual exercises: "interest growing”” “

“Often the demand outstrips the supply”: that’s how Cardinal Karl Lehmann, president of the German Episcopal Conference, summed up the situation of spiritual exercises in Germany. Speaking at Bingen on the Rhine, on 18 September, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Addes, community of work of the German diocesan secretariats for spiritual exercises, […]

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Belgium" "

An anti-war appeal by religious leaders” “

An appeal to the citizens and authorities of Belgium to promote peace in every sphere, accompanied by the firm rejection of exploiting the name of God to justify wars: that is the essence of a joint declaration issued by the Concertation of the Christian Churches, the central Jewish Consistory and the Moslem Executive of Belgium […]

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"Dimanche Express", new Catholic weekly” “

“Dimanche Express”, the new Catholic weekly that replaces the previous “Dimanche”, a magazine with over half a century of history in French-speaking Belgium, was launched on 22 September: 47,000 copies of number zero, totally revamped in format and content, will be distributed gratis in the parishes that have requested them. “There is a serious shortage […]

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The Poor Clares of Malonne” “

A century ago a community of Poor Clares settled at Malonne (Namur). On 21 October 1903, expelled from France, some of the nuns took refuge in the “Ferme blanche” (White Farm) of Malonne. Three years later, in 1906, they moved to a more permanent home in the new convent of Tombois, where the community still […]

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Spain" "

Missionaries for a “mundo solidario”” “

Spain is the country with the highest number of missionaries in the world. The majority are members of religious orders, mainly women. The statistics issued to coincide with the national missionary congress held by the Spanish Episcopal Conference at Burgos in recent days, speak of some 20,000 Spanish missionaries, 54.1% women and 45.9% men; of […]

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