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Skriven 2004-11-16 08:00:44 av Marc Lewis (1:396/45)
Ärende: Vatican Information Service (Press Release)
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Hello All!

              The following press release is Copyrighted by the
                        Vatican Information Service.
              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                               VIS-Press releases

COMMUNION AND SOLIDARITY BETWEEN AFRICA AND, EUROPE

VATICAN CITY, NOV 10, 2004 (VIS) - The first symposium organized by the Council
of European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE) and Symposium of the Episcopal
Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) starts this afternoon in Rome at
the Salesianum on the theme "Communion and Solidarity between Africa and
Europe." Under the patronage of the Congregation for the Evangelization of
Peoples, the conference will end November 13.

An estimated 150 bishops and representatives of international bodies, and
delegates from 62 countries on the two continents are scheduled to participate,
as are representatives from seven Vatican offices and delegates from Church
organizations in Asia, Latin America and North America.

Each day offers a theme for the meetings: November 11: Ecclesia in Africa and
Ecclesia in Europe: The Situation - The Challenges - The Expectations; November
12: Cooperation between Africa and Europe: Theological Foundations - Prospects
- Commitment to a more just and integral society; November 13: Co-
responsibility for a renewed Church serving the world: Rise up and let us go.

A communique on the conference notes that "In the wake of the signing of the
European Union Constitution Treaty and while the new Commission is being put
together the European Bishops hope that the building of the new Europe will be
an experience of communion and solidarity where there will be no room for
xenophobia, marginalization and hopelessness."

"From the other side of the Mediterranean," says the press release, "the
African Bishops are concerned by a situation where almost half the population
lives below the poverty threshold and more than 140 million people live on
incomes that do not allow them to respond constantly to the needs of their own
families. Every day thousands of young Africans in despair try to enter Europe,
risking their lives. The brain drain of the young continent shows no sign of
abating; conflict situations impede lasting development."

The concluding day will feature Mass at 9:30 a.m. in St. Peter's Basilica and
an audience with the Holy Father at 11:30 a.m.
.../SYMPOSIUM AFRICA EUROPE/CCEE:SECAMVIS 041110 (340)

SUMMARY

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