Who cares!

by Ilona Toth | Apr 30, 2021 | 2021 Europe Day, News

The response of European young people

A webinar during the United World Week will explore the Christian roots needed for one to “care”. Those taking part: Canon John McLuckie, of the Scottish Episcopalian Church and 14 young people belonging to 4 different Communities and coming from 7 different European countries.

On Facebook I read that a housewife, seeing the tragic situation in hospitals due to the pandemic, decided to make cakes for the doctors and nurses. Now, several thousand persons and associations have joined in and are covering more than 40 hospitals, thus creating a true network in various cities of the Country.  This is what happens when a person, responding to an appeal by a first aid department, started to do something! And this is then taken up by others who are willing to join in. At the end of the day, everyone is happy, those who received as well as those who donated!

Today our calendar is full of feast days that remind us of some event, or the common good of a Country or a Continent or of the entire planet. Theses have become a cultural legacy of whole populations thanks to the initiative of a person, or a group, a Church or an Association.

Even May 9, Feast of Europe is one of these, as well as the United World Week, which was started by the young people of the Focolare Movement to make many others aware of the need for peace and brotherhood among peoples.

This year, between May 1 and 9, various events can be followed on the website of “United World Project”>>. Among these there is an event in which even Together for Europe was involved in its preparation. In what way? We asked young people what they would like to say to other young people, what lived-out experiences they can offer as “care” of the others – since the slogan of the Week is #daretocare?  When one listens and sees these young people expressing their ideals, hope in the future is rekindled.

Am you still young – or, were you once a young person? Then you can ask yourself: what can I do, here and now, for the others? Those who understand English are invited to click on http://bit.ly/whocares8may, and there they may find a  vaccine dose… not against Covic19, however.

Ilona Toth

The Czech Republic prays

by TogetherforEurope | Apr 28, 2021 | 2021 Europe Day, News

On the occasion of Europe Day, the New Movements and Communities of the Czech Republic pray, together, for Europe

This is a novena that is being held

between April 29 and May 7

Persons are invited to join in at 9 p.m. via ZOOM and pray together for Europe.

This initiative is the fruit of the collaboration and communion between the Schoenstatt Movement, the St Egidio Community and the Focolare Movement present in the Czech Republic.

On Saturday May 8, from 9 till 11 a.m., the Czech Republic and six other nations – Croatia, Italy Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary- will link up with Graz (Austria) for a common feast of Europe.

The local group of Together for Europe

My Europe – 45 minutes for Europe

by TogetherforEurope | Apr 27, 2021 | 2021 Europe Day, News

With music, reflections and prayer groups (all in English), young people across all borders will come together online to pray for our continent.

9 May 2021 at 6.30 p.m.

Register at: togetherforeurope@online.de

Europe: reasons to hope

by TogetherforEurope | Apr 27, 2021 | 2021 Europe Day, News

On the eve of the launching of the “Conference on the future of Europe”, the Christian Associations and Movements of the network Together for Europe, have organized an online conference with Jean-Dominique Giuliani, President of the Robert Schuman Foundation. The topic is:

“Europe: what makes us hope?”

Thursday May 6, 2021, 7 p.m.  – 8.30 p.m.

 The Christians are conscious of the importance that the work started in 1950 with the “Schuman Declaration” ought to be continued; to this end they want to make their voice heard in this great debate that will continue till May 2022.

The conference of Mr Giuliani, together with Gérard Testard (French, and member of the International Steering Committee of Together for Europe), will allow us to discern the resources available to Europe in a rapidly changing world, where only a joint response may efficaciously tackle the economic, ecological and health crisis.

Information/Registration: Ensemble pour l’Europe France

Leaflet (in French): Affiche Europe 2021 conference online avec liens

Press release (in French):  6 mai 2021, J. D. Giuliani conference online

Together for Europe, France

An event in the Chapel for Europe

by Beatriz Lauenroth | Apr 20, 2021 | 2021 Europe Day, News

To mark Europe Day, various Movements of Together for Europe are preparing an event that will be held in the Chapel for Europe, Brussels, on May 8, 2021, from 4 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.

Here you can watch the event again on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01tvdG6uB7c

Here you can find the texts in French>>  and Dutch>> 

The theme will be “Unity and Reconciliation”.

The programme includes a contribution by Mgr Delville, Bishop of Liège, and another by Cindy Franssen, a Belgian MEP. They will take an in-depth look at some aspects of Pope Francis’ latest encyclical Fratelli tutti.

Several Communities and Movements will present various initiatives, especially those in favour of our Belgian needy brothers and sisters. “We want to highlight the beauty of the Christian message!”: this is how a member of the preparatory put it.

The third part will be spent in prayer.

Beatriz Lauenroth

Photo: Wikipedia, author: ©Fabre