|
This autumn Vie et Foi (‘Life and Faith’, French-speaking Switzerland) offered to its members and to any other persons interested, two open days of reflection.
The first one took place on 3rd October in Geneva, on questions of ecology and brought to an end the month of ‘A time for Creation’. The topic was ‘The Earth as a heritage! How can we safeguard it?’ and the speaker Michel Maxime Egger. He is an orthodox theologian and one of the leaders of the Southern Alliance, the working community of the principal Swiss Aid organisations. He leads the ‘Platform Trilogies’ – which links the cosmic, human and divine (www.trilogies.org).
This meeting has allowed our commitment to ecology to take root more profoundly and link to our faith.
On the programme we had two lectures:
· the foundations of an ‘eco-spirituality’,
· beyond growth; how the consumer society functions. This was followed by a workshop on ‘how we are part of it?’.
The second day was aimed at stimulating a positive spirit, despite the economic crisis, and took place on 28th November, in Sion. The theme was ‘Hope in the face of human fragility in this time of crisis’. The Valaisian psychologist, Maurice Nanchen, gave two lectures on the subject, taken from his own experiences, particularly in education. The present crisis with its succession of anxieties, unemployment, bankruptcies, etc. with the risk of triggering a real disaster. How can we withstand it and help others to do so? Additionally, the abbot Henri Roduit shed some light on the idea of Christian hope.
Chantal Maillard, president Vie et Foi |
|
|
Women in the Church: called – competent – missioned |
|
|
|
The Austrian Catholic Women’s Movement kfbö has issued a new flyer with information about the paid and unpaid/voluntary working areas of women in the Church. Under the heading ‘Women in the Church: called – competent – missioned’, work and activities in the service of transmitting and celebrating faith are mentioned as well as the engagement and responsibility for other people and for the community. The flyer will be largely distributed all over Austria. Kfbö vice-president Helene Renner: ‘Through Baptism and Confirmation and because of the general priesthood of all baptised people, women are called to service in/to the Church. Specific training possibilities will contribute to forming and educating women to many different skills and competences and this will enable them to receiving a mission to a big variety of tasks. These range from pastoral assistant, religion teacher and leader of retreats and spiritual exercises, to accompanying the sick, the dying and mourning, and to the drafting of pastoral letters.” The flyer highlights item 25 of the kfbö policy lines: “The kfbö expects that women will be admitted to all services of the Church. The question of official Church positions of women, including priesthood, must be seriously and openly discussed. Thinking and talking about this issue shall not be forbidden”.
The flyer can be downloaded from the kfbö homepage: www.kfb.at
Eleonore Bayer, press officer kfbö |
|
|
The Latvian Catholic Women’s Association invites interested women to a seminar on ‘Physical and mental health promotion’ which takes place on 19th December in Riga. For the second time, Dr. Igors Kudrjavcevs will give a lecture with practical exercises about stress, methods for strengthening the back, for fostering and improving the immune system, and for developing a positive attitude towards life. In his first seminar in May, the Orthodox Christian Dr. Kudrjavcevs lectured on the body, how it works, how we can honour and care it, and how our thoughts can influence our health. His talk combines personal believe and scientific knowledge.
Ianra Uzolina, president LKSA ( http://www.lksa.lv/ ) |
|
|
Quality label for the SKF education programme |
|
|
|
|
The education programme of the Swiss Catholic Women’s League (SKF) has been certified by the quality label of the Swiss educational institutions eduQua. This label fixes, and controls, basic quality criteria for providers of educational programmes. eduQua defines six criteria which are crucial for the quality of an institution: the range of the offering, the communication with the clients, the way the knowledge and formation are being provided, the staff – i.e. the trainers, the educational success and output, and the quality and development at long term. In addition, eduQua provides impulses for developing the quality of the programme. This occurs in the context of the preparation for the certification, with an audit on spot, with a certification report, with yearly intermediate audits, and with the renewal of the eduQua certification every three years. Independent certification centres in all regions of Switzerland check the compliance with the minimal standards. (www.eduqua.ch)
It is obvious that obtaining this label, means an essential step forward for the SKF in matters of help and education to/of women. The next goal is to offer committed SKF members the possibility to have their seminars accepted as modules by other educational institutions.
Click here for information on the new impulse material of SKF.
Franziska Schawalder, communication officer SKF (www.frauenbund.ch ) |
|
|
Gender Equality in Europe |
|
|
|
|
The national umbrella body which represents English women at the European Women’s Lobby is NAWO (the National Association of Women’s Organisations). It recently hosted a conference in order to inform and empower women’s organisations in the UK to use their voices in Europe and to discuss the methods and the channels through which this can be accomplished, particularly on the issue of gender equality in representation in the European Union.
Three speakers highlighted some specific aspects, each from her own function or experience: Mary Honeyball, spokesperson on women’s rights, culture and education in the European Parliament; Myria Vassiladou, General Secretary of the European Women’s Lobby, and Eleanor Fuller, the permanent UK representative at the Council of Europe.
Read more: |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
|
News from Members