by Beatriz Lauenroth | Sep 2, 2024 | 2024 Friends | Graz, Austria, News
Why are you involved in Together for Europe?
I’ve always been interested in a lived ecumenism, where people meet at eye level, try understand one other, and to learn and benefit from one other in faith. As a Protestant Christian, I find myself in a minority situation in Austria, which is why I am always especially happy when I can speak to the Catholic brothers and sisters in our Church. This fruitful exchange happens regularly in our group in Styria (Austria) of Together for Europe. Here, genuine friendships and mutual appreciation have developed.
Do you feel European at heart?
Of course! I was born in Graz in 1965, about 50 kilometres from what was then Yugoslavia in the south and Hungary in the east. In other words, not far from the ‘Iron Curtain’ which separated the West from the East. For me, as a child and even as a young adult, the world beyond it was foreign and distant, while today you can reach it in 45 minutes by car or train! I have always been connected to Eastern Europe, however, because my maternal grandparents came from what is now Hungary, and Slovenia. At the time it was all part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and they arrived in Graz around 1910.
I am happy and grateful that today many people from the former Eastern Bloc can come to Austria. There have also been wonderful encounters here in Graz in recent years, at the international meetings of Together for Europe celebrating Europe Day in May.
Why is the Friends’ meeting in Graz this year?
Graz has a particular religious history: in the 16th century the Reformation found fertile ground here, as in many other regions of present-day Austria. Even today, evidence of this can be seen in Graz, such as the Landhaus, built by Protestants at the time; or the memorial plaque of the famous astronomer Johannes Kepler, a Protestant, who taught in Graz.
In 1997, the ‘Second European Ecumenical Assembly’ was held here, with thousands of guests from all over Europe. In 2017, on the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, a memorial plaque was unveiled in the courtyard of the Landhaus. It bears the words ‘Gegeneinander – Nebeneinander – Miteinander’ (one against the other – close to each other – together), which succinctly express the eventful history of the faith. I think this was one of the main reasons why Graz was chosen.
You also work as a cabaret artist, performing in churches with your colleague Oliver Hochkofler. Do faith and humour go together?
Yes, they do! Who, if not us Christians, can laugh for the joy of the Gospel? Of course, not every kind of joke or cabaret has its place in a church. Moreover, we would never make fun of Jesus or the Bible. On the contrary: Oliver and I want to use our programmes to show how beautiful and enriching faith can be, to invite people to discover the treasure of the gospel in a humorous and informative way. In our new programme ‘Out of the blue – With the Church around the cross’, we take a look at individual focal points, but above all at what the denominations have in common. Of course, we also shed light on this or that challenge that the churches are facing. And when visitors distant from the Church say after the programme that they learned something and took away an idea or two, we are happy.
Edited by Beatriz Lauenroth
Flyer of the meeting in Graz>>
by Beatriz Lauenroth | Jun 11, 2024 | News, 2024 Europe Day
Let’s talk about Europe – Let’s pray for Europe
On 9 May, on the evening of Europe Day 2024, Jeff Fountain, Director of the Schuman Centre for European Studies in Amsterdam, and former Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger spoke at an online conference on the topic: Let us speak and pray for Europe. More than 100 participants in Europe followed the keynote speeches with great interest.
The conference was enthusiastically prepared together by a group consisting of members of the YMCA in Esslingen/Germany, ENC in Bratislava/Slovakia and the Focolare Movement in Vienna/Austria.
Jeff Fountain ha discusso nella sua presentazione la storia dell’Europa e le origini della Giornata dell’Europa e ha citato, tra gli altri, l’ateo Richard Dawkins: “Non si può capire l’Europa senza capire il cristianesimo e la Bibbia”. Il 9 maggio 1950, il ministro degli Esteri francese Robert Schuman annunciò l’accordo sul carbone e l’acciaio tra Germania, Italia e Francia con un discorso di soli tre minuti. Adenauer, De Gasperi e Schuman, insieme ai Paesi del Lussemburgo e del Belgio, posero in seguito la prima pietra della Casa Europea dopo la Seconda Guerra Mondiale concretizzando quell’accordo, chiamato CECA. “Questa è la storia che dobbiamo raccontare ai nostri figli e ai figli dei nostri figli ancora e ancora”. Leggi il discorso di Jeff Fountain (inglese) >>
Eduard Heger outlined the problems of our time. To overcome wars, migration, climate change, polarisation and fake news, Heger called on Christians to bring the good news of the Gospel into politics. Heger affirmed: ‘Forgiveness, hope and love can change the world and bring long-desired peace’.
A discussion with the speakers then followed. From the Netherlands: ‘For me, this means that I have to start making peace in my immediate environment. Many small steps then make a big difference’. ‘Unity is strength, that is, connecting with like-minded people to achieve a common goal,’ commented a student from Maastricht.
Beatriz Lauenroth
by Beatriz Lauenroth | May 23, 2024 | 2024 Europe Day, News
In Munich a whole month of celebrations were held to mark Europe Day
In 2024, the city of Munich once again sent out a common message for Europe: there were celebrations around Europe Day for a whole month. This year, the focus was on the European elections scheduled for 9 June. Activities and events were held every day. Munich residents were invited to actively participate, ask questions and be creative.
In this context, on 9 May, Together for Europe – represented by the Focolare Movement and the YMCA on site – took part in the big party in the city centre with a stand in front of the main stage, where singers, various speakers, and musicians alternated throughout the afternoon.
A lot of people came to inquire about our ecumenical network and its activities in Europe. There was time and space to get to know each other, exchange ideas, dreams and even difficulties.
Capturing the attention was a puzzle about the European continent that fascinated mainly children and young people, the generations that will carry Europe into the future.
Beatriz Lauenroth
by Beatriz Lauenroth | May 23, 2024 | 2024 Europe Day, News
In the central square of Würzburg (Germany) people prayed together for peace on 8 May, on the eve of Europe Day 2024. The event was organised by the ecumenical network Together for Europe. In the city, the Movements and Communities involved in this network are, among others, the Community of Sant’Egidio, Vineyard, the Focolare Movement and the YMCA.
The aim of the ecumenical prayer in public was to make known how some of those present were committed to peace in different ways and to encourage those present to do the same: e.g. in the family, at work, in prison, but also on trips.
Dr. Heiner Arzet (Vineyard) told of his trip to Ukraine, where his encounter with psychologically traumatised soldiers in the Butscha military hospital was particularly touching. During the liturgy together with the soldiers, Arzet realised how he too can be an instrument of peace through his presence in prayer.
Each of us, wherever we are, can make small and big choices in favour of peace every day.
Beatriz Lauenroth
See the video clip of the event (German)>>
by Beatriz Lauenroth | May 19, 2024 | 2024 Europe Day, Austria, News
A Europe Day for young and older people was held in Klagenfurt (Austria)
On 8 May, Together for Europe celebrated Europe Day 2024 together with the Carinthia Region and Europahaus. Schools from the region, EU project promoters and representatives of various Movements that form part of the Network participated.
The varied programme included prayers and personal reflections on Europe by the participants.
At the end of the ceremony, a choir of forty pupils sang the well-known melody of the European anthem (9th symphony by Ludwig von Beethoven) in a new version of the text developed by the Lutheran theologian Herwig Sturm. The singing conveyed gratitude, hope and joy to all those who were there.
A day of celebration and encouragement for all generations!
Manfred and Fini Wieser on behalf of the Team TfE in Carinthia
