The Bishops of COMECE (Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community) will hold their Autumn Plenary Assembly from 21 to 23 November in Brussels. This plenary Assembly will be mainly dedicated to ‘The external action of the EU – current challenges and perspectives’.
On Wednesday 21 November, a public evening debate will take place on the crisis in Iraq “Refugees- What is Europe doing?” with Dr. Otmar Oehring (MISSIO-Germany) and other key-note speakers.
On Thursday 22 November, the COMECE Bishops will examine the new provisions of the Reform Treaty and the ratification procedure. They will in particular exchange views with the MEP Elmar Brok, former representative of the European Parliament to the recent Intergovernmental Conference and former President of the Foreign affairs Committee of the Parliament for many years. Then, Bishops will examine the current challenges of the EU relations to Africa. Through the angle of external action of the EU, they will also discuss the situation in South East Europe, in particular in Kosovo.
The Friday session will deal with the events and meetings which punctuated the life of the Catholic Church in Europe in 2007 (COMECE Rome Congress, 3e Ecumenical Assembly in Sibiu, the Pope’s visit to Mariazell, and others).
Finally, the Bishops will be briefed on the continuing work of the Secretariat: e.g. a Proposal for a ‘Strategy of the European Union for the Support of Couples and Marriage’ and other policy issues being monitored by the Secretariat.
A Press Conference will be organised on Friday 23 November at 2pm
at Hotel Martin’s Central Park (former Eurovillage)
80 Boulevard Charlemagne – 1000 Brussels
on Thursday, 22 November 2007 at 19.00:
Celebration of the Holy Eucharist
presided by H.E. Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin and Vice-president of COMECE
On this occasion, we will pay tribute to H.E. Maurice Couve de Murville,
Archbishop emeritus of Birmingham and former member of COMECE.
in the Chapelle de la Résurrection (22-24 Rue van Maerlant, 1040 Brussels).
The Mass will be followed by a cocktail-reception.