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 »

In an interview given to the French daily newspaper la Croix the President of COMECE, Reinhard Cardinal Marx, shared his view of the role Christians should play in the process of European construction. “It is essential in today’s pluralist Europe, that we be in touch with our roots and that the voice of religion should continue to be heard. We have the duty to announce … Continue reading »

The next European elections are vital for our democracy: all citizens are called upon to cast their vote next 22-25 May to select the future European Parliament for 2014-2019. The outcome will greatly determine the direction taken by the EU for the next half decade and will have major implications for the people of Europe. The severe economic and social crisis is fuelling nationalism and … Continue reading »

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 »

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 »