priests

” “The songs of the "king"

“What a wonderful vocation is ours, my dear brother priests!”, wrote the Pope in his traditional letter for Maundy Thursday. In view of this liturgical feast, which places the figure of the priest, servant of the Church, at the centre, we gathered some testimonies of priests. Let’s begin with an English priest who has been […]

di Silvia Guzzetti - London" "" "

” “The miracle of Reconciliation” “

The telephone rings 24 hours a day. The doorbell too rings at all hours. We are in London, at number 4 Back Hill where St. Peter’s Italian Church is situated. It’s the church of the Italian community. Founded by St. Vincent Pallotti in the mid-nineteenth century “to be close to and assist the numerous immigrants”, […]

di Chiara Genisio" "" "

development

” “A network of solidarity

Combating world poverty to defeat terrorism and opening up international trade and foreign investments to the developing countries: these are two of the main pledges made by the 171 countries that signed the “Monterrey Consensus”, the final document of the UN Conference on the funding of development, held in Monterrey (Mexico) from 18 to 22 […]

di Pedro Angulo" "" "

terrorism

” “United to defeat it

There has been a lot of talk recently about the problems of international terrorism and of the measures adopted at the EU level to respond to the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001. But, in the aftermath of the assassination of Italian Government labour relations adviser Marco Biagi, people are also asking what measures are […]

di Gian Andrea Garancini - Brussels" "" "

” “At the centre of defence policy” “

The European Union. Gathered at Saragozza, in Spain, on 22 and 23 March, for an informal meeting of the Council of the European Union, the Ministers of Defence of the Fifteen unanimously took the decision to use also the second pillar – the one that includes the European Policy of Security and Defence (EPSD) – […]

di Redazione

The EU legislation in force

· European Convention for the suppression of terrorism (1977: it came into force in Italy in 1986); · Common action of 15/10/1996, adopted by the Council in conformity with article K.3 of the Treaty on the European Union, on the establishment and constant updating of a repertoire of competencies, capabilities and specialist information in the […]

di Redazione

Germany

” “Controversies on immigration

A controversial majority of the government coalition (SPD-Greens) approved the new law on immigration (cf. SIREurope no. 9/2002) at a session of the Bundesrat in Berlin – the Upper Chamber of the regions – on 22 March. The new law should now pass to Federal President Johannes Rau for ratification. Edmund Stoiber, leader of the […]

di Redazione

What the law prescribes

The new law is aimed at regulating the influx of immigrants, but does not prescribe fixed numerical limits; rather it adopts the criteria of only letting non-EU foreigners enter the country if there are no Germans or Europeans willing to perform the particular jobs they would be eligible to fill. Preference is given to skilled […]

di Redazione

United Kingdom

” “Euthanasia remains illegal

“Benevolent paternalism” that violates the right of a patient to refuse medical treatment: that’s how the judge of the Court of Appeal in London, Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, defined the attitude of the physicians treating Miss B, a 43-year-old tetraplegic woman, paralyzed from the neck downwards and dependent for her continued existence on a pulmonary ventilator. The […]

di Redazione

Medical ethics at risk. ” “

Since 1993 English legislation has recognized the invalid’s right to refuse food, water and medical treatment and be allowed to die. The law in question is clearly permissive in its attitude to euthanasia: it does not impose euthanasia, but nor does it punish it. We find ourselves faced by a dramatic situation that appeals to […]

di Redazione