Nordic Bishops pray for the people of Syria

(Vatican Radio) Bishops of the Nordic Bishops’ Conference concluded their Autumn Session in Norway on Wednesday expressing their concern and offering their prayers for the suffering people of Syria.

They also decided to introduce an annual day of prayer for the persecuted Christians all over the world. This day is fixed on 26 December – the feast day of the first Christian martyr.

Sister Anna Mirijam Kaschner, Secretary General of the Nordic Bishops’ Conference told Vatican Radio's Linda Bordoni about the initiative…

listen to the interview...

For more on the Session, which took place from 13 to 18 September, in the Norwegian city of Tromso, a press release issued by the Bishops' Conference says the bishops focused on three main issues:

The need to encourage Catholic Theologians in the Nordic countries to come together for lectures and other academic activity. In fact, they pointed out that in recent years, a number of scholars have converted to the Catholic faith, and Catholics have qualified for doctorates and higher degrees in theology. Many of these teach at universities and academic institutions and are not ordained or members of religious orders. The faculties at Uppsala - the Newman Institute - and Menighetsfakultetet in Oslo, already offer a wide scope of Catholic subjects. Thus, the theologians hope to establish a Catholic Academy for the Nordic Countries in co-operation with the Conference and hope for the acknowledgement of the Congregation for Education in Rome. The Congregation expresses its interest and support, and there will be a meeting between a representative for the Conference and the Cardinal Prefect in Rome this October.

The Bonifatius-Werk of the German Catholics: The Catholic dioceses in the Nordic countries have enjoyed generous moral, practical and economic support of German Catholics for many years. The Bishops were happy to welcome the Secretary General of the Bonifatius-Werk, Mgr. Georg Austen in Tromsø. They discussed the needs of the fast growing church in the North of Europe and the possibilities for further co-operation with the Church in Germany. The Bonifatius-Werk already arranges for young Catholics to come to our countries to work in parishes or institutions for a limited period of time. Mgr. Austen hopes to enable young Scandinavians to make a similar experience in Germany.

Catholic Missions. The Secretary General of the Pontifical Society for the Propagation of Faith - Father Timothy Barrett LeHane - informed the Bishops about the activities of this institution. Mission is the responsibility of the entire Church, and the Dioceses in the Nordic Countries try to contribute generously to the evangelisation co-ordinated by the Papal Missions.