the convention" "

We all have Christian roots ” “

Inserting in the future European constitutional treaty a reference to God that may be accepted by believers and nonbelievers alike: that’s the recommendation that Bishop Josef Homeyer, president of COMECE (Commission of the Episcopal conferences of the European Union) has made to Wilfried Martens, president of the European People’s Party, in a letter of congratulations […]

di Redazione

the convention" "

A heritage to be respected” “

The action of the European Union cannot attack the status of the Churches and of the religious communities, otherwise it would jeopardize the national identity of the individual member States themselves. That’s the conviction at the basis of the so-called “Christophersen clause” which has been extensively discussed within the Convention on the future of Europe […]

di Ignazio Ingrao" "Sir correspondent at brussells" "

What is the "Christophersen clause"?” “

The clause is named after the delegate of the Danish government, Henning Christophersen, who is chairing the aforesaid work group and drafted the proposal. The objective is that of limiting the exercise of the functions of the EU in some fields closely connected with the national identity of member states. This principle is already enunciated […]

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the convention" "

Constitution, the idea, the ideas” “

The process of European integration, the difficulties encountered, the future European constitutional treaty: we spoke about these issues with Ingolf Pernice , professor of European public law at the Humboldt University in Berlin. Professor Pernice, what point has been reached by the process of European integration? “We’ve reached an historic point. The time has come […]

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Russia" "

The time for reconciliation ” “has come” “

National mourning in Russia for the victims of the blitz in the Moscow theatre, while controversy continues to rage about the lack of official explanation of the type of gas used, that has so far caused the death of 119 persons. So far 418 hostages have been released from Moscow hospitals. But 265 still remain […]

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Austria" "

"Social" ecumenism” “

“Sozialwort” is a joint project of the fourteen Christian churches that form part of the Austrian Ecumenical Council: a body aimed at monitoring, for the first time in a unified manner, the activities performed in Austria by Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, Orthodox and Eastern Church organizations in the social field. For an update on the […]

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What is the "Sozialwort" project?” “” “

Presented on 12 September two years ago, the “Sozialwort” project consists of three phases: the first consisted in the distribution of a questionnaire to survey the activities performed by the Churches. The second phase, presented on 12 September 2001, envisaged the publication and public discussion of the “Sozialbericht” (“Report on social engagement”), that summarizes the […]

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Hungary" "

Gypsy parishes” “

In Hungary gypsies too have their own parishes. They are described for us by Msgr. Szilard Keresztes , Greek-Catholic bishop of Hajdùdorog, a diocese comprising the whole country, with 280,000 faithful and 200 priests, almost all married. According to a census conducted in Hungary in 2001, there are 5,100,000 Latin-rite Catholics, 1,300,000 Calvinists and over […]

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poverty" "

Towards an ‘inclusive’ society” “

‘Places and voices of poverty. The commitment of the European regions to social inclusion’ is the title of an international conference held in Florence on 24 and 25 October. It ended with the setting up of Retis (European transnational network for social inclusion), an association so far composed of 27 European regions and cities, aimed […]

di Redazione

bioethics" "

Fake progress” “

“On the confines of life: the relations between science, ethics and law” was the theme of an international conference held in Rome on 25 and 26 October. At the centre of attention: the attacks on life represented by abortion and euthanasia, genetic manipulations on human embryos and the diffusion of an “aseptic” view of healthcare, […]

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