Germany: ” “a common witness ” “

Achieved at the end of a long debate within the Lutheran confessions and bilaterally with the Catholic Church, the joint declaration on the doctrine of justification, signed at Augsburg on 31 October 1999, represents not only a resolution of the main theological controversy that triggered off the Lutheran Reformation in the sixteenth century, but also […]

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towards assisi" "

The ways of peace” “

Belgium: a joint declaration for peace. “Together we publicly proclaim that religious affiliation cannot be a motive for conflict, hatred or violence”. The affirmation is made by leaders and members of the various religious communities of Belgium in a joint declaration to be signed in Brussels on 24 January at the end of a meeting […]

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Northern Ireland" "

Walls and barbed wire” “

Attacks on schools: that’s the latest expression of violence in the Northern Ireland conflict. After the Holy Cross primary school in Belfast attracted the violent protests of Protestant inhabitants of the area last summer, now it’s the turn of other Catholic schools, St. Bride’s in Belfast and St. Patrick’s in Lisburne, to be targeted by […]

di Silvia Guzzetti - London" "" "" "

France" "

The "Perruche law"” “

No one can claim compensation for the mere fact of having been born, nor can life itself be considered detrimental. That is the gist of a bill voted almost unanimously by the national Assembly on 10 January. The story began on 17 November 2000 when France’s Supreme Court recognized the right of Nicolas Perruche, born […]

di Maryvonne Gasse - Paris" "" "

Germany" "

The "Mainz model"” “

4 million workers without a job, as against 38 million in employment. These figures, referring to December 2001 and published last week, are a measure of the critical situation that Germany is now experiencing in terms of employment. In an interview published in the German weekly Der Spiegel on 14 January, Chancellor Schröder, now up […]

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Switzerland" "

The Churches promote the UNO” “

After Caritas and the aid organization of the other confessions (cf. Sir Europe no.10/2001), the Christian Churches are campaigning for a convinced yes to Switzerland’s membership of the United Nations, on which Swiss citizens are being called to vote in a referendum on 3 March. The Churches share the aims of the United Nations, say […]

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United Kingdom" "

Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor has preached to the Queen” “

In view of the Prayer Week for Christian Unity (18-25 January), Queen Elizabeth has invited a Catholic bishop, the primate Murphy-O’Connor, to preach in the church of St. Mary’s in the royal estate at Sandringham. The event marks the end of five hundred years of antagonism and suspicion between the sovereigns of these islands, who […]

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A national programme for child protection” “

Her name is Eileen Shearer and she is head of the national child protection programme promoted by the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. Appointed to the post by the Conference itself, Mrs Shearer will have the task of implementing the recommendations made in the Nolan Report on the sexual abuse of children. The definitive […]

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The new archbishop of Glasgow” “” “

The successor of Thomas Winning as head of the archdiocese of Glasgow, in Scotland, is the 67-year-old Mario Joseph Conti. Cardinal Winning, passionate defender of Catholic doctrine even if it meant making harsh criticisms of the government, died last June. For the new archbishop it “will be difficult to gather the legacy of Cardinal Winning, […]

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European Union" "L

the Spanish presidency” “” “

The Spanish government presented the programme for its six months’ presidency of the European Union (January-June 2002). Significantly entitled “Màs Europa” (“More Europe”), the twenty-page document outlines the main priorities and guidelines for action that premier Aznar intends to pursue to ensure that Europe “assumes the profile and role that belong to it in international […]

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