Category Archives: Press

Ethics, Research & Health, Policy Areas, Press

News

Gestational Surrogacy: a frontal assault on fundamental shared EU values

Gestational surrogacy is an issue of increasing preoccupation and concern in contemporary political and legal debate across the European Union. Against that background, the COMECE Working Group on Ethics in Research and Medicine has published an “Opinion on Gestational Surrogacy: the question of European and International Rules” , which is presented today, 23 February, at an event hosted by MEP Miroslav Mikolasik at the European … Continue reading »

Press

Press Release

Meeting between Latvian EU Presidency and Church Representatives

Churches led wide-ranging discussions with the Latvian Presidency team on religious freedom and tolerance, climate change, migration, security strategy and conflict prevention and EU neighbourhood policy. Within a week of taking on the Presidency of the European Council, the Latvian Minister of Justice, Dzintars Rasnačs, received a delegation of representatives from the Christian churches of Europe to discuss the Latvian Presidency agenda. The meeting was … Continue reading »

Press

Press Release

Churches meet with Italian EU Presidency

In the closing days of the Italian EU Presidency, Italy’s Foreign Minister Paolo Gentilioni met with a joint delegation of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) and the Conference of European Churches (CEC) on 18 December in Rome. Delegates present at the meeting urged the presidency for concrete action on youth unemployment, migration, and freedom of religion and belief. The … Continue reading »

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 »