CNA Daily News - Europe

German diocese receives bishop who was ordained by Cardinal Ratzinger

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:23:00 -0500

Essen, Germany, Nov 7, 2009 / 03:23 am (CNA).- On October 28, Pope Benedict XVI appointed 45-year-old Franz-Josef Overbeck as the Bishop of Essen, Germany. Bishop Overbeck was ordained a priest by Cardinal Josef Ratzinger, has survived a bout with cancer, and is now the youngest bishop in Germany.

Traditional Anglican Communion of U.K. first to accept Pope's offer

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:24:00 -0500

London, England, Nov 6, 2009 / 12:24 am (CNA).- Members of The Traditional Anglican Church in Great Britain have announced that they will enter into communion with the Vatican under Pope Benedict XVI's Apostolic Constitution for Anglicans.

Spanish cloistered nuns see surge in vocations

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:51:00 -0500

Madrid, Spain, Nov 5, 2009 / 01:51 pm (CNA).- A 43 year-old prioresses has revolutionized an old Poor Clares convent in Spain, turning it onto a magnet for dozens of young professional women.

First Canadian elected as Superior General of Redemptorists

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:33:00 -0500

Rome, Italy, Nov 4, 2009 / 11:33 pm (CNA).- The Redemptorists have elected Fr. Michael Brehl, formerly the Provincial of the Edmonton-Toronto Province, as the new Superior General for the order.

Hungarian bishop who defied Stalinist persecution beatified

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:01:00 -0500

Budapest, Hungary, Nov 4, 2009 / 10:01 pm (CNA).- On October 31, the Church beatified Bishop Zolt�n Lajos Meszl�nyi, a victim of the Communist persecution of the Catholic Church in Hungary. The beatification was scheduled shortly after Pope Benedict approved a decree verifying the martyrdom of the bishop, who died in 1951.

Italian minister responds to European court: 'We will not remove crucifixes from the classroom'

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:21:00 -0500

Rome, Italy, Nov 4, 2009 / 10:21 am (CNA).- Italy's Minister of Education, Mariastella Gelmini, has rejected the ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in favor of removing crucifixes from public schools. She stated, "Nobody, much less a European court that is steeped in ideology, will be allowed to strip our identity away."

Portuguese writer says 'God is evil,' hopes controversy will boost book sales

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:04:00 -0500

Madrid, Spain, Nov 4, 2009 / 12:04 am (CNA).- While presenting his latest book, "Cain," in Spain, Portuguese writer Jose Saramago said he is convinced that God is "evil" because he has been created "in the image and likeness of man." The author added that he hopes the controversy sparked by his anti-Christian writings will increase the book's sales.

Pro-life congress to attract more than 1,000 from around the world

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:02:00 -0500

Zaragoza, Spain, Nov 3, 2009 / 12:02 am (CNA).- The fourth International Pro-life Congress will take place from November 6-8 in Zaragoza, Spain featuring speakers from 14 different countries including the U.S., Canada, Uganda, Cuba and France. Organizers expect 1,000 participants to attend from Spain and around the world.

Catholic association calls for registration of doctors who perform abortions

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:12:00 -0500

Madrid, Spain, Nov 2, 2009 / 08:12 pm (CNA).- The president of the International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations, Dr. Jose Maria Simon, said last week that instead of creating a registry of doctors who refuse to perform abortions, the Collegial Medical Organization should create one for those who do.

Father fights hospital, mother, to keep son on life support

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:20:00 -0500

London, England, Nov 2, 2009 / 06:20 pm (CNA).- A man in Great Britain is fighting to keep his 12 month old son on life support, while the boy's mother and the hospital are arguing that his rare neuro-muscular condition does not leave him with a sufficient quality of life to warrant continued treatment.