Posts From Editorial
EN | IT | FR | DE – A Free Trade Treaty is currently being negotiated between the United States and the European Union. The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) remains controversial and raises a number of concerns. COMECE Bishops wished therefore to learn more about the economic and ethical aspects of the Treaty and explore it in greater detail on the occasion of their Autumn Plenary Assembly held on 12 and 13 November 2014 in Brussels.
EN | IT | FR – Bishops from across the continent of Europe visited Verdun as pilgrims to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War. Two simple services of prayer were held at the Ossuaire de Douaumont and individual bishops laid votive lamps in the chapel of the Ossuaire where the bones of 130,000 unknown soldiers repose.
EN | IT | FR | DE – The annual meeting of the Eastern Catholic Hierarchs of Europe was held in Lviv (Ukraine), on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the legalization of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, at the invitation of His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Archbishop Major of Kyiv-Halyč. In Lviv, 45 Eastern Catholic bishops in Europe have been discussing the identity and mission of the Eastern Catholic Churches in the ecumenical movement and in European societies.
EN | IT – The Conference of European Justice and Peace Commissions, representing 22 national commissions of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences, has come to Greece for an International Workshop on theme of Human Dignity and Economic Crisis. In Greece the impact of the crisis has been particularly stark and visible, with people taking to the streets to protest about the widespread unemployment and its consequences. We have come here to reflect on the threats to, and offences against, human dignity that have emerged, and learn about models of good practice for the protection of human dignity.
EN | IT – “What the experience in Albania shows, rather, is that a peaceful and fruitful coexistence between persons and communities of believers of different religions is not only desirable, but possible and realistic. The peaceful coexistence of different religious communities is, in fact, an inestimable benefit to peace and to harmonious human advancement” (Pope Francis, Apostolic visit to Tirana, Albania – September 21st, 2014)
EN | IT – What contribution can the Church make towards a social Europe? The Church does not have any technical solutions up Her sleeve. She also has no political or economic concepts of Her own which could compete with the political arena. The Church however partakes of the concerns and the needs of the people, as She has been placed in this world. This is why it is not the job of the Church to develop solutions in the technical field to make improvements with regard to individual issues.
EN | IT – The European Conference of Justice & Peace Commissions will meet from the 3rd to the 7th of October in Athens and Corinth (Greece) for their annual International Workshop and General Assembly. The general theme of the meeting is “Human Dignity and Economic Crisis”. During the General Assembly, Archbishop Jean-Claude Hollerich from Luxemburg will take over from Bishop William Kenney, auxiliary bishop from Birmingham, as President of Justice and Peace Europe. 22 of the 30 European JP commissions will be represented in Athens. The event is organised in close cooperation with the Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Church in Greece.
EN | IT – The economic and social crisis do not seem to soften their grips, making inequalities growing; the anti-Europe wind damages the heart of the institutions and, more seriously, war has dramatically leaned at the door of the common European home, bringing back memories from a time that seemed so far away. A gloomy picture in which Catholics are called to bring the hope that comes from faith. They shall show a light that needs to be nurtured through prayer, work, dialogue and reflection: the four elements that will be the cornerstones of the second edition of the European Social Days taking place in Madrid, September 18 to 21.
EN | DE | IT | FR – On 11th September it was announced by the European Parliament that Pope Francis has accepted the invitation of President Martin Schulz to address the European Parliament during its plenary assembly in Strasbourg on 25 November 2014. We publish Cardinal Reinhard Marx’ welcome at the announcement of Pope Francis’ visit to the European Parliament.
EN | IT | FR – In his article “Mai 2014: la crise populiste de l’idée européenne”, published on the September issue of the magazine “Études – revue de culture contemporaine”, Dominique Reynié, a University Political Science professor in Paris, traces an analysis of the results of the latest European elections of May 2014. Although the majority of the electors voted in favor of the pro-Europe coalitions (69,3%, minus 10 points compared to 2009), according to Reynié, the “incontestable populist drive” marked by the vote underlines how the “European project lacks a clear objective and a leader”.
