Category Archives: Press

Plenary Assembly, Press

Press Release

Opening Speech of Cardinal Reinhard Marx, COMECE President, to the COMECE 2014 Spring Plenary Assembly

In the last few weeks, images of dramatic scenes have been piped into our homes with perturbing regularity. The upheaval in Ukraine has not only dominated the headlines and monopolised the attention of the people of Europe; it has also moved us deeply. It started with week-long protests and a dramatic struggle for sovereignty in Kiev and then in other parts of the country, and … Continue reading »

Press

Press Release

COMECE-CEC joint statement following on the meeting with the Greek EU Presidency. “Social Cohesion in the EU must be strengthened”

On 10 January 2014, three days after the official start of the Greek EU Presidency, the Greek Deputy Foreign Minister with specific responsibility for European Affairs, Dimitris KOURKOULAS, received a delegation of senior Greek and European churchmen in Athens. Also in attendance were senior officials from the Foreign Ministry. The aim of this meeting, one in a long-standing series of high-level encounters between Church representatives … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

News

COMECE General Secretary visits Caritas projects in Greece

On Saturday 11 January the COMECE General Secretary, Father Patrick H. Daly, paid a visit to the offices of CARITAS Greece at 52 Kapodistriou Street in downtown Athens. He was received by Father Andreas Voutsinos (Director CARITAS Greece), Nikos A. Voutsinos, responsible for the Refugee Programme and Evelyn Karastamati, Coordinator of the ELPIS Project. He was fully briefed on the work of CARITAS for the … Continue reading »

Press

News

Europe: a roadmap to Peace

On the occasion of the Lithuanian EU Presidency, a delegation of Lithuanian Catholic Bishops visited the EU institutions at the invitation of COMECE. Led by Mgr Rimantas Norvila, the Lithuanian delegate to COMECE, the six bishops came from 1st- 4 December on a fact-finding mission, anxious to become familiar with the EU and its institutions. They were briefed by several Catholic NGOs. They had meetings … Continue reading »

Ethics, Research & Health, Policy Areas, Press

News

Horizon 2020 : The EU should not fund research on human embryonic stem cells

The success of the recent citizens initiative “One of Us” finally ought to convince the EU Parliament to end the financing of research activities which presuppose the destruction of human embryos. The EU should not ignore the will of nearly 1.9 million EU citizens who signed this initiative. The European Parliament is about to vote on “Horizon 2020”, the European Union’s new programme for research … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

News

A humane approach to migration

The shipwreck, in which over three hundred migrants lost their lives in a vain attempt to reach the island of Lampedusa on 3 October last, made migration a banner headline issue in most European countries. It captured our hearts but it also focused our minds on the plight of migrants and how we were treating them. Yet it is sobering to remember that upwards of … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Plenary Assembly, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

‘Migration and Integration in the EU’ COMECE Plenary Assembly 13-15 November in Brussels

Europe is a continent on the move. Internal migration and migration from outside, not least in pursuit of political asylum, has impacted on the lives of all communities within all Member States and communities of the EU. The Church is deeply concerned for the situation of refugees and asylum seekers, especially after the tragedy off Lampedusa. ‘Migration and Integration’ will be the main topic of … Continue reading »

Ethics, Research & Health, Policy Areas, Press

News

Do not be misled: abortion is not a EU competence

In the context of the Vote today at the European Parliament of an own initiative Report on “Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights” which includes abortion, COMECE recalls that the EU has no competence in regard to this matter. EU citizens should not be misled. Article 168 § 7of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU states that the ‘‘Union action shall respect the … Continue reading »

Ecology & Sustainability, Policy Areas, Press

News

Churches on Climate Change: a matter of Solidarity and Global Justice

In light of the IPCC’s 5th Assessment report, and in advance of the Warsaw Climate Change Conference, a one day seminar entitled “Environmental protection and climate change as a challenge for policies – the role of ethics, lifestyles, solidarity and global justice” has concluded. Organised jointly by the Church and Society Commission of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) and the Commission of the Episcopates … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

News

Lampedusa: this is not the Europe we want

In a meeting today with the President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, COMECE President, expressed his deep concern for the situation of refugees and asylum seekers, especially after the tragedy off Lampedusa, where an estimated 280 people died whilst attempting to reach the shores of Europe. In the light of this tragedy, Cardinal Marx has urged the Europeans to act: … Continue reading »