|
|
|
| 24. Summer Academy in Austria | |
|
The 24th Summer Academy of the Catholic Men Movement took place in July. The theme was "Democracy or Dictatorship" Freedom and resposibility as base of a democratic society Georg Kopetzky was there for one day |
|
| Datum: 29-07-2010 16:37:00 | |
  |
|
| EUROPEAN FORUM OF LAITY 2010 | |
| The European Form of Laity is a meeting of national lay councils in Europe every two years. This year it was in Birmingham, GB, from 6. - 10. July. The theme was " HUMAN DIGNITY IN A CHANGING EUROPE - A CHRISTIAN RESPONSE". UNUM OMNES as a woldwide organisation was a guest there represented by GEORG KOPETZKY He could contact men and women from countries, where Unum Omnes in not represented actually and he had the possiblilty of a short presentation ( powerpoint) of Unum Omnes. |
|
| Datum: 15-07-2010 16:24:00 | |
|
|
|
| RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, THE PATH TO PEACE | |
|
VATICAN CITY, 13 JUL 2010 (VIS) - "Religious freedom, the path to peace" is the theme chosen by Pope Benedict XVI for the celebration of the 2011 World Day of Peace. "The World Day of Peace", reads a communique on the subject released today, "will therefore be dedicated to the theme of religious freedom. It is well known that in many parts of the world there are various forms of restriction or denial of religious freedom, from discrimination and marginalisation based on religion, to acts of violence against religious minorities". "Religious freedom is authentically realised when it is experienced as the coherent search for truth and for the truth about man. This approach to religious freedom offers us a fundamental criterion for discerning the phenomenon of religion and its expressions. It necessarily rejects the 'religiosity' of fundamentalism, and the manipulation of truth and of the truth about man. Since such distortions are opposed to the dignity of man and to the search for truth, they cannot be considered as religious freedom". The communique recalls words Benedict XVI's pronounced before the United Nations General Assembly in 2008: "Human rights, of course, must include the right to religious freedom, understood as the expression of a dimension that is at once individual and communitarian - a vision that brings out the unity of the person while clearly distinguishing between the dimension of the citizen and that of the believer". The text continues: "Today there are many areas of the world in which forms of restrictions and limitations to religious freedom persist, both where communities of believers are a minority, and where communities of believers are not a minority, and where more sophisticated forms of discrimination and marginalisation exist, on the cultural level and in the spheres of public, civil and political activity. 'It is inconceivable', as Benedict XVI remarked, 'that believers should have to suppress a part of themselves - their faith - in order to be active citizens. It should never be necessary to deny God in order to enjoy one's rights. The rights associated with religion are all the more in need of protection if they are considered to clash with a prevailing secular ideology or with majority religious positions of an exclusive nature'". The communique concludes by highlighting how "man cannot be fragmented, and separated from what he believes, because that in which he believes has an impact on his life and on his person. 'Refusal to recognise the contribution to society that is rooted in the religious dimension and in the quest for the Absolute - by its nature, expressing communion between persons - would effectively privilege an individualistic approach, and would fragment the unity of the person'. It is for this reason that: 'Religious Freedom is the Path to Peace'" |
|
| Datum: 13-07-2010 15:13:00 | |
|
|
|
| WE NEED AUTHENTICALLY CHRISTIAN POLITICIANS | |
|
VATICAN CITY, 21 MAY 2010 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received participants in the twenty-fourth plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Laity who are currently meeting to examine the theme: "Witnesses to Christ in the political community". The Pope told them that, although the "technical formation of politicians" is not part of the Church's mission, she reserves the right to "pass moral judgment in those matters which regard public order when the fundamental rights of the person or the salvation of souls require it". "It is up to the lay faithful to show - in their personal and family life, in social cultural and political life - that the faith enables them to read reality in a new and profound way, and to transform it", he said. "It is also the duty of the laity to participate actively in political life, in a manner coherent with the teaching of the Church, bringing their well-founded reasoning and great ideals into the democratic debate, and into the search for a broad consensus among everyone who cares about the defence of life and freedom, the protection of truth and the good of the family, solidarity with the needy, and the vital search for the common good". The Holy Father went on: "There is a need for authentically Christian politicians but, even more so, for lay faithful who bear witness to Christ and the Gospel in the civil and political community. This need must be reflected in the educational prospectus of the ecclesial community and requires new forms of presence and support from pastors. Christian membership of associations, ecclesial movements and new communities can be a good school for such disciples and witnesses, supported by the charismatic, community, educational and missionary resources of those groups". The Pope explained how "the spread of a confused cultural relativism, and of a utilitarian and hedonistic individualism weakens democracy and favours the dominance of strong powers. We must recover and reinvigorate authentic political wisdom; be demanding in what concerns our own sphere of competency; make discriminating use of scientific research; face reality in all its aspects, going beyond any kind of ideological reductionism or utopian dream; show we are open to true dialogue and collaboration, bearing in mind that politics is also a complex art of equilibrium between ideals and interests, but never forgetting that the contribution of Christians can be decisive only if knowledge of faith becomes knowledge of reality, the key to judgement and transformation. What is needed is a true 'revolution of love'". AC/ |
|
| Datum: 21-05-2010 16:34:00 | |
|
|
|
| 2. ECUMENICAL CHURCH DAY in Germany | |
| GEORG KOPETZKY, European Representative of UNUM OMNES
visited the 2. ECUMENICAL CHURCH DAY in Germany from 12. – 16. May 2010 The theme was: THAT YOU WILL HAVE HOPE About 3000 events in the town of Munich and in a huge exposition- territory were shown. He was impressed by: - the huge variety of offers of the Christian Churches - the strong integration of the churches into the society of Germany - the effectiviness of churches in the society - the good cooperation of the Catholic and the Lutheran Churches - the responsibility for other continents - a culture of „ Kirchentag“ which is unique in the world He visited also the Center for Men, which was organized by GKMD, the member of Unum Omnes in Germany and the Lutherans. There were very interesting events specially for men. The „ Church Day“ in Germany are yearly organized mainly by Lay- people. It shows, that a church is more than bishops and priests. This is only possible, when a structure of laity is developed in a country. |
|
| Datum: 19-05-2010 17:36:00 | |
|
|
|
| CATHOLIC-INSPIRED NGO FORUM | |
| A report of our President Niall M. Kennedy: ROME. 12, 13, 14 FEBRUARY 2010 The organisation of the meeting was excellent and essentially consisted of three main topic headings which were addressed by an expert in the field. Three “thematic” speakers then followed who each spoke on a specific perspective of the topic. This method provided an excellent insight to the topic as a whole. Prof. Jane Adolphe of the Ave Maria School of Law (USA) made the first intervention. Her topic was : The Changing political environments in a globalizing world: new challenges for Catholic inspired NGO’s and concerns about their influence in the politics. Prof. Stefano Zamagni,, University of Bologna, addressed the second topic which was Towards a global governance: the financial and economic crisis calls for new policies and increased global governance. Prof. Aloyse Ramad Ndiaye, co-ordinator of the of the Higher Institute for Arts and Culture at the university in Dakar, Senegal addressed the third topic entitled How do we promote integral human development and education in a multicultural world. Interspersed between these topics a number of Group Sessions were held. The subjects discussed in these sessions were: Human Rights, Social Issues and the Family, Healthcare and Life, Education, migration and development and environmental issues. In conclusion, it was a very important meeting for Unum Omnes to attend and I am grateful I was given the opportunity to be present. |
|
| Datum: 19-05-2010 11:55:00 | |
|
|
|
| Summer-Academy in Austria 2010 | |
| Datum: 06-05-2010 08:17:00 | |
 |
|
| REPORT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 09 IN GERMANY | |
| The General Assembly 09 of Unum Omnes took place in Bischof- Benno- Haus, Germany, from 19th to 24th September 2009. The main theme was "Our answer to the return of spirituality in the society".The lecturers were Prof. Miklos Tomka, Budapest and Prof. Maria Widl,Germany. We welcomed representatives from Argentina, Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Ceska R.,Germany, Ghana,Ireland, Italy,Liberia, Kenya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Romania and Ukraina GKMD,our Unum Omnes member in Germany prepared the meeting and invited us also to Dresden and Berlin. We heard reports about the laity and the society in Germany. There was the election of a new board of Unum Omnes (See our homepage). The lectures and more fotos of this meeting you find in the forum of our homepage. We got 5 new members: Bulgaria, Belarus, Korea, Liberia and Lithuania. There was a Lithuanian evening. |
|
| Datum: 24-12-2009 11:37:00 | |
   |
|
| EUROPEAN ACADEMY 2009 | |
| There was the 15th European Academy in Schmochtitz, Germany from 17. - 22. September. The theme was " What fathers and mothers do for families,the society and the church". Lecturers were from Lithuania,Germany and Hungary. The family is the place, where children and teens learn the basic values for the later life. Young couples must have time for their children.The family should have preference against other activities. The family as a cell of the society must be protected. The modern role of the man is changing from a softie to a man, who lives his nature and who uses his talents. Luck is a result of freedom and responsibility. |
|
| Datum: 30-09-2009 03:12:00 | |
 |
|
