Germany: the bishops call for an ethical health-care reform” “

“A health-care reform based on ethical criteria”: that is what Cardinal Karl Lehmann, president of the German Episcopal Conference, intends to propose at a press conference due to be held at the Catholic Academy of Berlin on 4 June. “The German health-care system – says a press release put out by the Conference of German […]

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Ireland: St. Patrick’s cathedral in Armagh reopened” “

With a solemn ceremony, in the presence of Irish President Mary McAleese, St. Patrick’s cathedral in Armagh was reopened on Sunday 25 May, after a restoration lasting 17 months. The ceremony was officiated by the archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland Seàn Brady who thanked all the priests and faithful of the archdiocese: […]

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France: the Church’s position on GMO” “

GMO? “Only if they do not alter the balance of nature and are not harmful for human health”: that, in sum, is the position of the French Church on the question of genetically modified organisms (GMO), an issue that will be discussed at forthcoming meetings of the bishops. French parliamentarians have asked the Church and […]

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Switzerland: the bishops of the lake Geneva region and G8 ” “

“The human being is at the centre of the creation. And to offer him conditions of life in peace, and in respect for his fundamental rights, constitutes an essential task for the State based on the rule of law”: so write the Catholic bishops of the Region of lake Geneva in a letter addressed to […]

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Holland: procession with relics to Utrecht” “

An unusual procession, concluding the celebrations forming part of the programme of events “Catholics with heart and soul”, will take place in the Dutch town of Utrecht on 7 June. It’s a procession of the relics venerated in the seven bishoprics of Holland and in the military ordinariate. The relics include that of the English […]

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Ue-Onu" "

Justice that reconstructs” “” “

“Doing justice to the past to reconstruct the society of the present”: that’s the aim of the International Penal Tribunal for the crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia. The judges of the Tribunal include Fausto Pocar , professor of international law at the University of Milan, who has previously served as president of the UN […]

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European Parliament " "

Freedom and rights in the world” “” “

In one of its last plenary sessions in Strasbourg, the European Parliament adopted three specific resolutions relating to three complex political situations in which an almost total lack of safeguard and respect for human rights was registered. The resolutions in question refer in particular to: freedom of expression and religious worship in Vietnam, the searches […]

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The draft preamble of the Treaty” “” “

The Presidium of the European Convention approved the draft preamble of the future constitutional Treaty of the Union on 28 May. This is the last act before the “final sprint” of the members of the Convention on the whole draft Treaty in the plenary sessions scheduled for the first half of June. The draft Treaty […]

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"Islamophobia": debate promoted by the Commission” “

Hatred of Moslems in Europe and “islamophobia” in general: the issue was discussed at the conference “Youth and ethnicity, transnational identities and islamophobia”, organized by the European Commission and held in Brussels in recent days. Researchers, politicians and social workers discussed the situation of young Moslem immigrants in various European countries. The meeting forms part […]

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Comece" "

Three issues of the day” ” ” “

“Europe-infos” is the monthly online bulletin of the Commission of the Episcopates of the European Community and of OCIPE, the Catholic Office for Information for Europe. In its May number (no. 49) it tackles among other things EU enlargement, agriculture and bioethics. Published in French, German, English, Spanish and Polish, the bulletin is available on […]

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