Christian Churches
EN | IT | FR | DE | SK – Twenty-seven years after the fall of communist regimes in Central and Eastern Europe, Europe faces new challenges. The most important among them are the crisis of the family, connected with the demographic one, the crisis of faith and cultural identity. Lately, many countries are facing the numerous migrations from the Middle East and Africa. On 8th and 9th September, the representatives of the Episcopal Conferences of Central and Eastern Europe met in Slovakia, the country presiding over the EU Council, to reflect on these issues.
EN | IT – Having received the news of the forthcoming meeting between His Holiness Pope Francis and His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and of All Russia, the president of Ccee (Council of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Europe), cardinal Péter Erdő, wanted to express his joy at this historic meeting by sending a letter to Patriarch Kirill.
EN | IT – Statement of the Coordination of Bishops’ Conferences in support of the Church in the Holy Land. “… The right of Israel to live in security is clear, but the continuing occupation eats away at the soul of both occupier and occupied. Political leaders across the world must put greater energy into a diplomatic solution to end nearly 50 years of occupation and resolve the ongoing conflict so the two peoples and three faiths can live together in justice and peace…”
EN | IT | FR – The Presidents of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European nations, at their Plenary Assembly in the Holy Land (11-16 September), express their closeness to the faithful and thank the Patriarch of Jerusalem for the invitation. They also express their thanks to the religious, in this year devoted to the Consecrated Life, and to all the Christians whom they have met and who live in this Land, for their testimony of faith and safekeeping of the Holy Places as places of Christian remembrance and living worship.
EN | IT | FR | DE | ES – We release the message, sent to Europe’s Bishops Conferences, of the “Caritas in Veritate” Commission of CCEE – Section Preservation of Creation – on the occasion of the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation (September 1, 2015).
EN | IT | FR | DE | ES – On the occasion of International Roma Day (8 April 2015), Cardinal Peter Erdő, CCEE President and the Anglican Bishop Christopher Hill, President of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) issue the following message.
EN | FR | IT – More than 2000 years after the death and resurrection of Christ, many millions of men, women, children, have worldwide founded their hope on him and found in him the strength to love and forgive. This is what Pope Francis wants to celebrate summoning a Year of Mercy. It will begin on December 8th, 2015, and end on November 20th, 2016. In this way he wanted to hit like a punch to put Christians in the face of the madness of faith, of love and forgiveness.
EN | IT – “We reaffirm our communion with the Eastern Christian communities and minorities persecuted anywhere in the world”: these words can be read in the message signed by Archbishop Georges Pontier of Marseilles, who is also President of the French bishops. From France also comes the demand that “courageous initiatives” are taken to “ensure peace in these regions and to grant everyone an equal citizenship”, while the Catholic community continues to “support efforts made in their favour”.
EN | IT – “A clear sign of the strong interest of the EU Commission to continue the dialogue with the churches”: this is the meaning, in the words of Card. Reinhard Marx, President of the Commission of the Bishops Conferences of the European Community (COMECE), of the meeting that the bishops of the 28 EU countries had with President Jean-Claude Juncker and his deputy Frans Timmermans, during the plenary session that took place in Brussels from 18th to 20th March.
EN | IT – March 16, Pope Francis received Brother Alois in a private audience, for the second time in his pontificate. The Pope proved himself to be highly attentive to the ecumenical vocation of the Community and to their activity of welcoming young people to Taizé. He will pray in communion with all those who will be gathered in Taizé on August 16, which will mark the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Brother Roger and the tenth anniversary of his death.
