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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »