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🇻🇦 HOLY SEE | Pope Francis receives the Presidency of COMECE to discuss current EU affairs
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12/12 - The Presidency of COMECE has been received by Pope Francis for a private audience dedicated to the war in Ukraine, the efforts of the Catholic Church for peace, the dialogue between Churches and the the European Union, the challenges concerning migration and asylum in Europe, the future of European integration and the 2023 March COMECE Plenary Assembly to take place in Rome.
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The COMECE Presidency also had the opportunity to meet and discuss with high-level Holy See representatives, in particular with H.Em. Cardinal Pietro Parolin (Secretary of State of His Holiness), H.E. Mgr. Paul Gallagher (Secretary for Relations with States within the Holy See's Secretariat of State), H.Em. Cardinal Mario Grech (Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops), H.Em. Cardinal Michael Czerny SJ (Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development), H.Em. Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell (Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life). The programme also included a fruitful exchanger with Her Excellency Mrs. Alexandra Valkenburg, Ambassador of the European Union to the Holy See, Order of Malta, UN Organisations in Rome, Republic of San Marino.
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CHRISTMAS | Ecumenical message and prayer for peace in Ukraine and the world
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16/12 - The Presidents of COMECE and CEC, H.Em. Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ and Rev. Christian Krieger, share an ecumenical message and a prayer for peace in Ukraine and the world, addressing all churches and people celebrating Christmas in diverse traditions.
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INTERVIEW | Cardinal Hollerich shares his thoughts on his 5 years as President of COMECE
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12/12 - Following the audience with Pope Francis, H.Em. Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ speaks with the press and shares his thouhgts on his 5-year mandate as President of COMECE between Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. The mandate of Cardinal Hollerich will end in March 2023, when the COMECE Plenary Assembly will gather in Rome to elect a new Presidency.
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In one of the interviews, Cardinal Hollerich stated: "The balance of 5 years of Presidency is positive. We have a Secretariat that works in an extraordinary way with competent experts and a constant dialogue with the EU institutions. Collegiality among the Bishops has also been a very good experience. COMECE is known today, we are respected by the institutions of the EU".
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QATAR GATE | COMECE First Vice-President Mgr. Crociata: "Justice should take its course and hold accountable those who must be convicted"
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12/12 - COMECE First Vice-President Mgr. Mariano Crociata comments on the so-called Qatar Gate involving some MEPs and their assistants the European Parliament. Speaking with AgenSIR, Mgr. Crociata stated "Justice should take its course and hold accountable those who must be convicted. This episode must not be instrumentalised to delegitimize the EU".
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INTERVIEW | COMECE Vice-President Mgr. Overbeck shares his thoughts on the ongoing war in Ukraine
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12/12 - COMECE Vice-President H.E. Mgr. Franz-Josef Overbeck was interviewed by Vatican News on the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine. Mgr. Overbeck, who is a military bishop, shares his precious analysis on the conflict, weapons supply and peace efforts. The interview is available in German. The interview follows the COMECE Presidency's audience with Pope Francis. 🇩🇪 Read and listen the interview
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INTERVIEW | What did the COMECE Presidency discuss with Pope Francis?
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12/12 - Interviewed by Vatican News and Alfa y Omega, Fr. Manuel Barrios Prieto, General Secretary of COMECE, shares some of the issues discussed by the Presidency of COMECE and the Holy Father Pope Francis.
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SYNOD | Cardinal Hollerich participates in a press conference in Rome
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14/12 - As Relator General of the Synod on Synodality, H.Em. Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ participated in a press conference on the opening of the continental phase of the Synod to take place on 5-12 February 2023 in Prague. The press conference was organised in Rome by the Council of Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE) and feature the participation of CCEE President H.E. Mgr. Gintaras Grušas. Cardinal Hollerich is President of COMECE and Vice-President of CCEE.
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CZECH EU PRESIDENCY | Ecumenical delegation meets with Czech Prime Minister Fiala
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07/12 - An ecumenical delegation with members from the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) and of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) met with Petr Fiala, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, to discuss efforts of the current EU Presidency in addressing some of the most pressing challenges the EU and its citizens are facing today.
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PHOTO | COMECE visits the Secretariat of the Czech Bishops' Conference to exchange on Church-EU dialogue and communication
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08/12 - In the context of the meeting between the COMECE-CEC ecumenical delegation and the Czech EU Presidency, the Communication Officer of COMECE, Alessandro Di Maio, visited the Secretariat of the Czech Bishops' Conference in Prague, and in particular its Press Office, to provide updates on COMECE's recent activities and new communication tools, as well as on COMECE's internal mechanisms and dialogue with the EU institutions.
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On the same occasion, Di Maio was received in the editorial office of the weekly newspaper Katolický týdenÃk, meeting with Director KateÅ™ina Koubová and the rest of journalists for a fruitful exchange on COMECE recent works and Czech Republic's media history and current context.
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22 December-6 January
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The Secretariat of COMECE will be closed for the Christmas break. We wish you a blessed holy Christmas and a happy new year!
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COMECE PRESS OFFICE
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Media & Communication Manager
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alessandro.dimaio@comece.eu
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The Catholic Church in the European Union
Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences
of the European Union
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