Eurobishop

Last Friday, the Revd Neil Dawson, priest-in-charge of Holy Trinity Madeira , wrote with an update on the situation on the island that was devastated by floods a week ago. Fr Neil writes ... …Though the centre was certainly an awful mess of mud and debris, with assistance of soldiers from the mainland and many volunteers and workers from here, ladies in head scarves and muddy aprons, lines of scouts looking muddy but stoic, with buckets and brushes, most of the mess has been cleared up and the town is getting back to normal. Shops, restaurants and banks are back open - cash machines work! Hopefully schools will open next week. Telephones and power is on in most places. One hears so many stories of sadness and near misses. There are of course serious pockets of damage especially around the three rivers running down through the city which became such swollen torrents. Some of the roads near them have been badly damaged, a good knowledge of the back allies is useful when getting a...

Some shockwaves have hit the European ecumenical scene this past week. Members of our diocese in Germany will be particularly aware of this situation, as it has been widely covered in the German media. Bishop Margot Kässmann resigned her post as the head of the German Protestant Church, the EKD ( Evangelische Kirche in Deutchland ) on Wednesday 24 February. She was found driving with over 3 times the legal alcohol limit in her blood after she drove through a red light on the previous Saturday. The Council of the EKD laments her decision and felt that the incident in question should not be grounds for resignation, and that as a result the Church has lost a “fascinating religious personality”. German public opinion is divided about her resignation. Some feel that the 51 year old former bishop of Hanover has made the right choice as a moral leader. Others feel that she should be forgiven according to Christian principles. The EKD is a federation of 22 Lutheran, Reformed and Unit...

10 readers and readers in training from Costa del Sol East and West, Madrid, Lisbon, Monaco. Torrevieja, Aquitaine and Pau gathered at the Casa de Espiritualidad of the Diocese of Málaga from 24 to 26 February for a training course on bereavement and funeral ministry. The keynote speakers were the Revd Peter Moger, the Church of England’s national liturgy advisor and the Revd Canon Hugh Broad, the Area Dean of Gibraltar, supported by the Revd Ulla Monberg, the Diocesan Director of Training. The workshop covered many areas related to the pastoral and liturgical ministry around death, including: • The history of Christian funeral rites, including developments in Anglicanism since the reformation • The purpose of the funeral liturgy, and who funerals are for • The grieving process • The liturgical resources for funerals, authorised and commended for use in the Church of England • Issues in hymnody and music • Practical aspects to presiding at funeral services • The n...

The 30th International Old Catholic Congress will be held in Zurich from 9 – 13 August this year. The theme is “You shall go out with joy”, taken from Isaiah 55.12. Through this theme, the participants will explore an intriguing question: " How can a zest for life and humour be of potential benefit to our faith, our spirituality and our community?" It is clear that the congress organisers hope to inspire a joyful vision for the church, to stimulate one's personal spirituality as well the life of church communities. The programme for the 5 days includes lectures, workshops, worship, recreation and excursions. It is geared for laity and clergy, and for all ages. The following main speakers, and the topics they will address are confirmed: Bishop Dr Dirk Schoon (Netherlands): “The church as a Place of Joy – Yesterday and Today” Henriette Crüwell (Germany): Does God Have a Sense of Humour?” Bishop Dr John Okoro (Austria): “How Seriously Should I Take Life?” The Revd Dr...

Messages of support from around the diocese are being received in Madeira, which has been hit by devastating floods and mudslides due to torrential rain last weekend. Many telephone lines are still not operating but I reached Tony Hughes-Lewis, one of the Churchwardens at Holy Trinity, Funchal, this morning for an update. Tony confirmed that the situation has now been declared a national disaster by Portugal and three days of national mourning have been called for. The military are assisting with the clean-up, rescue and relief efforts. The official death toll is 44 (including one British visitor) but a further 250 persons are missing. There is concern for one member of the congregation who is still missing at time of writing. Funchal is located geographically in a "bowl" and the water from the mountains literally poured in, and the storm drains simply could not cope. The centre of town is now in parts, “head deep” in mud and boulders. There is widespread fear that when u...

This year Eastern and Western Christians celebrate the Lent-Easter cycle on the same dates. The first Sunday in Lent is observed by Orthodox Christians as "the Feast of Orthodoxy". It originally commemorated the end of iconoclasm in the 9th century, but has come to celebrate more generally the maintenance of the true faith. The Ecumenical Patriarch (photo left), His All Holiness Bartholomew I, has published an encyclical letter on the occasion of the first Sunday of Lent which gives strong support to the ecumenical movement and dialogue. He writes, "It is not possible for the Lord to agonize over the unity of His disciples and for us to remain indifferent about the unity of all Christians". The Patriarch is addressing those, particularly within his own Church, who oppose theological dialogue with other Christians because they feel it is a denial of the truths of the faith. He states in the encyclical, "The truth does not fear dialogue, because truth has n...

The Revd Bob Bates (left), chaplain at St Vincent’s Anglican parish in Algarve, Portugal, is going to undertake a 260 km walk across the Algarve, from East to West, this May. The purpose of the walk is to raise funds for the St Vincent’s Home for mentally and physically disabled children and adults, a local charity which is in need of financial support. Fr Bob will set out on 28 April for a walk that will take about 7 days, following what is believed to be the original pilgrim trail of St Vincent, also known as the Moçarbe Way. He will finish at Cape St Vincent on the westernmost fringe of Europe. The Anglican Church in Algarve has St Vincent as its patron, so there is a natural link with the Portuguese charity, and Fr Bob hopes that the walk will also be a good way to highlight the presence of the Church of England in this part of Portugal. Fr Bob is an experienced walker having completed the final 220 miles of the Camino de Santiago from the city of León to Santiago de Com...