by TogetherforEurope | Nov 10, 2017 | 2017 Friends | Vienna, Austria, News
An ardent ecumenical prayer service. On the 9th November, 2017, Vienna Cathedral – dedicated to St Stephen – became the focal point for Europe.
Visible, inviting, and European – this is how this “Ecumenical Evening Prayer for Europe” came across in the cathedral church of Vienna, the Stephansdom.
Members of the ecumenical network Together for Europe at the heart of the Austrian capital city, at the vigil of their annual Congress. They came from countries such as Portugal, Russia, England, and Greece.
Their aim: unity and reconciliation among various Christian denominations and cultures, as well as solidarity and integration within Europe.
-
-
Oekumenisches Gebet Wien 9.11.2017
-
-
Oekumenisches Gebet Wien 9.11.2017
-
-
Oekumenisches Gebet Wien 9.11.2017
-
-
Oekumenisches Gebet Wien 9.11.2017
-
-
Oekumenisches Gebet Wien 9.11.2017
-
-
Oekumenisches Gebet Wien 9.11.2017
-
-
Oekumenisches Gebet Wien 9.11.2017
-
-
Oekumenisches Gebet Wien 9.11.2017
-
-
Oekumenisches Gebet Wien 9.11.2017
-
-
Oekumenisches Gebet Wien 9.11.2017
-
-
Oekumenisches Gebet Wien 9.11.2017
-
-
Oekumenisches Gebet Wien 9.11.2017
Cardinal Christoph Schönborn lead an ecumenical group of representatives of various Churches: hundreds of people gathered under the “Lettner” Cross which is a significant memorial of the victims of the two world wars. “People today do not expect us to rule, but to serve,” the Cardinal emphasized in his speech. The solemn prayer for a TOGETHERNESS of cultures and generations and for peace resounded powerfully.
“This moment of prayer was a multilingual, visible, and European sign of hope,” said one of the participants, “and it gives us hope for the future.”
Video Ecumenical Prayer Vienna (German)>
At the reception that followed the celebration, Thomas Hennefeld, Superintendent of the Reformed Church of Austria and President of the Ecumenical Council of Churches in Austria, and Joerg Wojahn, Head of the European Commission Representation in Austria, underlined that Christian values are the basis for a united Europe. “We need everybody,” exclaimed the representative of the EU.
After November 9, 1938 (the Night of Broken Glass) and November 9, 1989 (fall of the Berlin wall), couldn’t November 9, 2017, day of the ecumenical prayer, be a significant step on the road of Together for Europe and a sign for Europe?
Beatriz Lauenroth; Photo: Annemarie Baumgarten
-
-
Empfang nach dem Oekumenischen Gebet Wien 9.11.2017
-
-
Empfang nach dem Oekumenischen Gebet Wien 9.11.2017
-
-
Empfang nach dem Oekumenischen Gebet Wien 9.11.2017
-
-
Empfang nach dem Oekumenischen Gebet Wien 9.11.2017
-
-
Empfang nach dem Oekumenischen Gebet Wien 9.11.2017
-
-
Empfang nach dem Oekumenischen Gebet Wien 9.11.2017
-
-
Empfang nach dem Oekumenischen Gebet Wien 9.11.2017
-
-
Empfang nach dem Oekumenischen Gebet Wien 9.11.2017
-
-
Empfang nach dem Oekumenischen Gebet Wien 9.11.2017
by TogetherforEurope | Nov 9, 2017 | 2017 Friends | Vienna, Austria, Experiences, reflections and interviews, News
“Hidden treasures” in Vienna
555th anniversary on 31st October 2017! What am I talking about? Let me explain: 500 years since Luther’s Reformation, 50 years since I was born and 5 years since I have moved to Austria.
When I realised this coincidence, I wondered how to celebrate the big round anniversary uniting my personal history with the ecumenical one.
I am a Swiss citizen; my mother is reformed and my father Catholic. My siblings and I were baptised into the Reformed Church, but after we went our separate ways. As a child I joined the Catholic Church, hence my strong passion for the unity of Churches. I now live in a Focolare community in Vienna.
Some time ago, in a meeting of consecrated people in the Ecumenical Centre in Ottmaring, attended by the Lutheran Bishop Emeritus Herwig Sturm, I presented a performance on Luther, based on images, spoken word and dance (I am a ballet dancer by profession). It occurred to me, why not celebrate my birthday by offering the same performance to the public?
-
-
Roswitha M. Oberfeld Foto: privat
-
-
Roswitha M. Oberfeld Foto: privat
-
-
Roswitha M. Oberfeld Foto: privat
On 29th October, more than 60 people gathered in Am Spiegeln, in the Meeting Centre of the Focolare Movement in Vienna, for my ‘ecumenical birthday show’. Instead of bringing birthday gifts, I asked my guests to offer a contribution towards translations of the meeting of Friends of the ecumenical network Together for Europe which was to take place in the Meeting Centre a few days after my birthday.
What a joyful occasion it has been to bring the money raised through the show to the International Steering Committee of Together for Europe!
Roswitha Oberfeld, Vienna (Austria)
by TogetherforEurope | Oct 30, 2017 | 2017 Friends | Vienna, Austria, News
From 9th to 11th November 2017, the Friends of Together for Europe will come together in Vienna, a bridge between Easter and Western Europe, for their annual congress.
A total of 120 participants from around 20 Eastern and Western European countries and 40 Movements are expected to attend. Their main aim will be to pool ideas on three topics:
- What culture is generated by the history of Together for Europe?
- What is our specific contribution to Europe?
- Dialogue between East and West: a mutual enrichment
This network of people embraces all of Europe from England to Russia, from Portugal to Greece. Their shared mission: through the upcoming meeting, to strengthen communion among their individual charisms and build united and multifaceted Europe, with strong social cohesion and cultural diversity.
The meeting will open, on 9th November 2017, in the Stephansdom Cathedral of Vienna, with an Ecumenical prayer for Europe. All those who wish for peace in Europe and in the world, are invited to take part in this moment of prayer.
Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, Archbishop of Vienna, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Helmuth Kraetzl, Catholic Church, Archpriest Vicar Ivan Petkin, Bulgarian Orthodox Church in Austria, Chorbishop Emanuel Aydin, Syrian Orthodox Church in Austria, Patriarchal Delegate Tiran Petrosyan, Armenian Apostolic Church, Patrick Curran, Archdeacon of the Eastern Archdeaconry of the Anglican Church in Europe, together with all the present will bring before God needs and opportunities of our continent. The intention of the prayer is extremely timely: unity in diversity, peace in justice.
Following personalities will address the gathering: Thomas Hennefeld, Superintendent of the Reformed Church of Austria and President of the Ecumenical Council of Churches in Austria, and Joerg Wojahn, Head of the European Commission Representation in Austria.
-
-
Invitation TfE Vienna 2017_1
-
-
Invitation TfE Vienna 2017_2
by TogetherforEurope | Sep 30, 2017 | 2017 Friends | Vienna, Austria, Experiences, reflections and interviews, News
Dialogue, Párbeszéd, Dialog, диалог, Dialogo, Dialóg…
A word fundamental to today’s Europe. How can we deepen our understanding of this word? We feel the need for Eastern and Western European countries to continue, or rather, to begin again getting to know each other. This is the premise for the upcoming meeting of Friends of Together for Europe in Vienna (9th -11th November 2017) which will be a ‘workshop’ on this topic.
-
-
click to enlarge the cartoon
We have been looking for speakers on this extremely pertinent theme. Many of you no doubt would have something of value to contribute. To date we have considered including experiences from the following people:
Gennaro Lamagna A view of the Balkans by a man from Naples>
Beatriz Lauenroth Further and further East>
Tanino Minuta (to be published online in October)
Maria Bruna Romito (to be published online in October)
by TogetherforEurope | Sep 25, 2017 | Austria, News
WILLKOMMEN, BENVENUTI, WELCOME, VITAJTE, BIENVENUE…
The group „Friends of Together for Europe” will meet in Vienna.
We are looking forward to this being a great, profound, visible, inviting, serene and European event held Together.
The TfE Coordination Team in Vienna has reflected and consulted at length with the International Steering Committee in preparation for this meeting. Our focus recently has been preparations for the opening of the meeting on 9th November in St. Stephen’s Cathedral (Stephansdom) which will take the format of an ecumenical prayer. We have picked a location in the centre of Vienna and have invited public figures to attend. The Archbishop of Vienna, Cardinal Schönborn has confirmed his participation while the mayor of Vienna issued an invitation to an “Agape” to follow after the liturgy.
“9th November, Stephansdom – you are coming, aren’t you?” – everyone we speak to is eagerly looking forward to the event.
Will we succeed in filling the Stephansdom Cathedral? We entrust this aspiration in the spirit of what Chiara Lubich used call: “The music sheet already written in heaven”.
Coordination Team of TfE, Vienna
-
-
-
Stephansdom_kl3_mdb – edw
-
-
Stephansdom_(c)_Kathbild-Rupprecht
DOWNLOAD THE INVITATION (in german): Treffen Trägerkreis Wien 2017 – Einladung zum Gebetsabend>>
by TogetherforEurope | Feb 27, 2017 | Austria, News
On Friday 27th January 2017, in the “Green Room” of the Provincial Government building of Carinthia (South Austria) an unusual event was held: a gathering to pray for the province.
The initiative came from the group Together for Europe, which has as its aim to give expression to Europe’s Christian identity. Representatives of different Churches and from different social, political and cultural spheres came together in prayer. The Outi & Lee duo provided musical accompaniment at the event.
“We hope this initiative will benefit this House”, commented Mr Reinhart Roth, President of the Provincial Government of Carinthia, while thanking organisers of the event. Local Councillor Ms Ruth Feistritzer, representing the Mayor, was also in attendance.
Together for Europe numbers more than 300 Christian Movements, Communities and Missionary Works around Europe. “We seek that which unites – among Christians and in society in general; we say Yes to Life, Family, Creation, Fair Economy, Solidarity, Peace and Responsibility”, said Manfred and Fini Wieser, Coordinators of the Together for Europe group of Carinthia.
