Category Archives: Press

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

Human trafficking: Churches call on the EU for action on a wider front

An estimated 800,000 women, men, and children are victims of human trafficking within the EU today. Up to 60% of the victims originate from EU states. The EU and its member states urgently need to implement the legal framework already in place and to intensify cooperation with civil society and church organisations that work with victims at the grassroots level. This was one of the … Continue reading »

Press

Press Release

Cardinal Marx: “A Message of Hope and Encouragement”

On the occasion of Pope Francis’ visit to the European Parliament the President of the Commission of Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), Reinhard Cardinal Marx, stated: Today’s visit to the European Parliament was the first encounter between the Pope and Europe as a whole. In his speech to the European Parliament, Pope Francis underlined the significance of European integration and the need to … Continue reading »

Press

Press Release

Pilgrimage of EU Bishops to commemorate the First World War – Douaumont and Verdun

Today 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. In the Cathedral Notre-Dame in Verdun we celebrated Vespers … Continue reading »

Plenary Assembly, Press

NEWS

The TTIP on the Agenda of the COMECE Autumn Plenary Assembly

The COMECE Autumn Plenary Assembly opens on Wednesday 12 November. 20 Bishops from all over Europe will attend the 2 days closed meeting. The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) will be the main topic of the Plenary. The Plenary Assembly of COMECE will be held from Wednesday 12 to Thursday 13 November 2014 in the Secretariat of COMECE (Square de Meeûs, 19 – 1050 … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

Press Release

The official website for the second series of European Catholic Social Days is online

Today has seen the launch of the official bi-lingual (English-Spanish) website www.catholicdays.eu for the second series of European Catholic Social Days (Madrid, Spain, 18-21 September 2014) on the theme “The Christian faith and the future of Europe’. 150 delegates from the Bishops’ Conferences and church bodies throughout the continent will gather in Madrid to reflect on the Church’s mission in contemporary society and link the … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

News

Towards a Europe of greater fraternity and solidarity

Europe is a community of life and destiny. Facing the social crisis, Christians have all the tools at their disposal to fashion a Europe of greater fraternity and solidarity that puts people at the heart of its project. The current crisis offers Christians an opportunity to engage in innovative and decided ways for a Europe of solidarity and peace. This is the feeling that emerges … Continue reading »

Press

Press Release

Cardinal Marx welcomes the announcement of Pope Francis’ visit to the European Parliament

Today 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. The President of COMECE, His Eminence Reinhard Cardinal Marx, enthusiastically welcomed this news and has issued the following statement: “It makes me very glad to hear today that Pope Francis, in … Continue reading »

Press

News

Cardinal Marx: “To regain confidence takes concrete solutions”

At the 10th Summit of religious leaders of various religions and denominations, Cardinal Reinhard Marx led the delegation of the Catholic Church, which comprised Jean-Pierre Grallet, Archbishop of Strasbourg and COMECE member, and Professor Margaret S. Archer, head of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. The hosts of this meeting at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels were the Presidents of the European Commission and … Continue reading »

Ethics, Research & Health, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

COMECE Secretariat regrets EU Commission’s decision on the ‘One of Us’ citizens’ initiative

The European Commission decided on 28 May not to submit any legislative proposal as a reply to the European Citizens Initiative ‘One of Us’. This initiative asked for the ending of the EU financing of activities which presuppose the destruction of human embryos, in particular in the areas of research (projects making use of human embryonic stem cells – hESC) and development cooperation (abortion, either … Continue reading »

Press

News

Cardinal Marx congratulates Herman Van Rompuy on being awarded the Charlemagne Prize: “An exemplary passion for Europe”

The President of the German Bishops’ Conference and President of COMECE, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, has congratulated the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy on being awarded this year’s Charlemagne Prize. Mr Van Rompuy received the Charlemagne Prize in Aachen today. In a letter to Mr Van Rompuy, Cardinal Marx called the winner of the 2014 Charlemagne Prize as a true mediator of the … Continue reading »