The Catholic Church in the European Union
Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union
On the eve of Europe day, COMECE General secretary Fr Patrick H. Daly, made the following statement: ‘On this 9 May is celebrated across our continent as Europe Day. It offers us an occasion to recall the beginnings of the great adventure which has grown the nations of Europe closer together. On the 9 May 1950, France suggested to Germany the opening up of a … Continue reading
COMECE is sad to announce the death on Monday 15 April of Fr Paul Huot-Pleuroux, who was the first General Secretary of COMECE at its foundation in 1980. He occupied this position until 1989. Priest of the diocese of Besançon (France), Fr Huot-Pleuroux had first been General Secretary of the French Bishops Conference (1971-1977), then Joint Secretary of the Council of European Bishops Conferences (CCEE, … Continue reading
This Thursday 28 March, COMECE President Reinhard Cardinal Marx sent the following message of support to his Cypriot counterpart Mgr Youssef Soueif, Archbishop of the Maronites of Cyprus: “The grave economic crisis, which in recent weeks has been felt especially keenly in Cyprus, is a cause of deep concern within the wider European family. Nonetheless, at this time our thoughts turn particularly to Cyprus, to … Continue reading
Rev. Patrick H. Daly, General Secretary of COMECE joins the wider Church Family in welcoming the election of Jorge Maria Cardinal Bergoglio as Pope Francis. ‘Right from the outset, the European project has enjoyed the active support and interest of the new pontif’s predecessors, all of whom closely followed developments within the constellation of nations, which has become the European Union. At this critical time … Continue reading
European economic governance needs to be balanced by a social dimension, according to Churches in Europe. At a meeting with the Irish EU Presidency in Dublin this morning (Friday March 8), they questioned the sense in discussing economic austerity without including measures for social cohesion. Efforts aimed at the eradication of structural poverty and inequality should all be considered when measuring economic progress, they maintained. … Continue reading
Following the announcement of the resignation of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, COMECE President Cardinal Marx issued the following statement: ‘Today, Pope Benedict XVI has announced his intention to resign on 28 February next. As COMECE President, this decision fills me with great respect but also with huge regret. Benedict XVI has been leading the world Church for eight years with immense dedication and … Continue reading
On 23 November 2012, on the occasion of their autumn plenary, the bishops of COMECE appointed a new General Secretary, Father Patrick H. Daly, who commenced his work at COMECE on Friday 1 February. On his first working day, he stated: “Together with the team here at the Secretariat, I look forward to serving the Bishops of COMECE, the national conferences they represent, and in … Continue reading
With these words Cardinal Reinhard Marx, COMECE President, praised the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Elysée Treaty. ‘The Elysée Treaty laid down the foundations for French German reconciliation and friendship. Many encounters resulted from it, ranging in level from Ministers to civil society. We should not forget that reconciliation always starts with a personal encounter. This is what we have learnt from Adenauer … Continue reading
‘We have united for the better’. This sentence from the Berlin Declaration of March 2007 was recalled by Cardinal Marx, COMECE President, on the occasion of the opening event of the Autumn Plenary Assembly of the COMECE bishops, which took place from 21 to 23 November in Brussels. In his Speech dedicated to the ‘Current Challenges for the EU and the Contribution of Christians’, Cardinal … Continue reading
For the first time ever, a meeting of a national Bishops’ Conference took place in Brussels. Under the Chairmanship of Cardinal Schönborn, the Plenary Assembly of the Austrian Bishops gathered together from 5 to 8 November in the COMECE premises to deliver a clear sign of support for Europe. “Europe needs Solidarity from all quarters “ explained Cardinal Schönborn. “As COMECE President, I am glad … Continue reading