Category Archives: anual-meetings

Plenary Assembly/3

The icon of the Patron Saints of Europe. A symbol of the CCEE Jubilee

The silver bas-relief crafted by goldsmith Michele Affidato

The sculpture symbolising the 50th anniversary of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences was created by the Calabrian master goldsmith Michele Affidato. The work, depicting the patron saints of Europe, is a bas-relief in silver embossed entirely by hand and painted with fire enamels and gold leaf. The splendid effigy was given to Pope Francis at the end of the Eucharistic Celebration in the Vatican … Continue reading The icon of the Patron Saints of Europe. A symbol of the CCEE Jubilee »

Plenary Assembly/2

Building a Europe based on dialogue, fraternity and social friendship

A summary of the second day's work

The second day of the CCEE Plenary Assembly opened with a greeting from Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, President of the Italian Bishops’ Conference. Outlining the prospects for a new Europe, the President of the Italian Episcopal Conference said that he dreamt of a Europe based on solidarity, with the dignity of the person at its centre, and which knows how to be a common home. “This … Continue reading Building a Europe based on dialogue, fraternity and social friendship »

Plenary Assembly/1

Let us help today’s Europe to rediscover the ever-youthful face of Jesus

Mass at the Vatican presided over by Pope Francis

The Plenary Assembly of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences opened this afternoon in Rome with a Eucharistic celebration presided over by Pope Francis in the Vatican Basilica. Sixty participants took part in this jubilee event to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the CCEE’s establishment. The Holy Father, in his homily, thanked the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences for the “the reconstruction work carried out … Continue reading Let us help today’s Europe to rediscover the ever-youthful face of Jesus »

From 23 to 26 September 2021 in Rome

CCEE Plenary Assembly begins

The working programme

The Jubilee Assembly of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences will begin tomorrow afternoon with Mass presided over by Pope Francis in St Peter’s Basilica. At the end of the Holy Mass, the participants in the Plenary Assembly will gather together at Peter’s tomb to renew their profession of faith. After a period of silence and a moment of personal prayer at the tombs of … Continue reading CCEE Plenary Assembly begins »

Eastern Catholic Churches

Eucharist and Synodality

Meeting of the Eastern Catholic Bishops of Europe

From 4 to 8 September 2021, the Annual Assembly of the Eastern Catholic Bishops of Europe, promoted within the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences, was celebrated in Budapest in conjunction with the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress. This year, after the obligatory postponement of the previous year’s Assembly due to the Covid-19 emergency, the activities were resumed. The theme proposed for reflection was “Eucharist and Synodality”, … Continue reading Eucharist and Synodality »

General Secretaries of the Bishops’ Conferences

Authenticity of the Church and Credibility in Her Mission starting from the Encyclical Ecclesiam Suam

The annual meeting in electronic format

Many times, we hear that the Church needs to be more credible and that if the world does not believe, it is because the Church is not credible enough. It is precisely from this conviction that the meeting of the General Secretaries of the European Bishops’ Conferences began. Two days of online meetings brought together 48 participants connected from their respective headquarters, to reflect together on … Continue reading Authenticity of the Church and Credibility in Her Mission starting from the Encyclical Ecclesiam Suam »

Social Communications Section

Pandemic and Ecclesial Communication: new pastoral challenges

Meeting of the press officers and spokespersons for the European Bishops' Conferences

48 participants from all over Europe met online for the annual meeting of the Press Officers and Spokespersons for the European Bishops’ Conferences on the theme “Pandemic and ecclesial communication: new pastoral challenges”. It was a meeting to reflect on how to live up to the challenges of this time: the digital environment, new forms of socialisation and participation, potential and critical issues for communication, … Continue reading Pandemic and Ecclesial Communication: new pastoral challenges »

Plenary Assembly/3

The Church During the Pandemic. Information from the Various Bishops’ Conferences

The Speakers' Interventions

In view of the Plenary Assembly, the Presidents of the National European Bishops’ Conferences prepared for the meeting by completing a questionnaire on “The Church during the Covid-19 pandemic” with information from their respective Bishops’ Conferences. It consisted of a general overview section with the number of infected and dead in each country as well as the start and end dates of restrictions and prohibitions … Continue reading The Church During the Pandemic. Information from the Various Bishops’ Conferences »

Plenary Assembly/2

Europe: together in discerning perspectives for the future

Final Message of the Bishops

The CCEE Plenary Assembly, this year in online mode, concluded with the approval of the Final Message to Europe. The European Bishops encourage peoples and nations not to shut themselves away, to look to tomorrow with a rediscovered confidence while walking together in the light of the Risen Christ and committing themselves to renewed solidarity in the knowledge that they are close to one another. … Continue reading Europe: together in discerning perspectives for the future »

Press Release

Cancelled – The CCEE Plenary Assembly in Prague

The working sessions will take place in online mode

The CCEE Plenary Assembly, previewed from the upcoming 25 to 27 September in Prague, is now cancelled due to the deteriorating situation of infection from Covid-19 in the Czech Republic. During these hours, the daily increase in the number of people infected with Covid-19 is making it increasingly difficult to reach the city of Prague. Many European countries are imposing a quarantine on those who return from … Continue reading Cancelled – The CCEE Plenary Assembly in Prague »