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Monument to oil slick volunteers unveiled
El Grove, November 7th, 2003 (ACPress.net).
A monument to all the
volunteers who helped clear up the oil slick left by the break-up
of the tanker,Prestige, along the beaches of northern Spain
has been set up in the town of El Grove.
Along with expressions of gratitude for all those who came from
different parts of Spain, including a team of evangelicals last
Easter, to help local people in the mopping-up operation, there
were calls for tougher measures to prevent a repeat of the disaster.
The spokesman elected to open the speeches was an evangelical
woman from Orense, Salomé Gago. She commented on the
positive aspects of the tragedy - how it brought people closer
together, and how well outsiders like herself were received.
Gago said "a few months ago I was here with a group of
young people from Orense Evangelical Church helping clean your
beaches (because) when the sea in Galicia dies, all Galicia
dies, and we all die a little. We feel priviliged to have added
our effort and our time to repair a beautiful part of the creation
God gave us. God bless you, your land and our sea."
Fernando Besada, spokesman for the fishing industry in the region,
congratulated the sculptors on capturing the volunteer work
in stone. But he asked where was all the material help promised
at the time of the tragedy, and called on everyone to fight
to make sure there was not another one like it. Finally, El
Grove's Mayor, Miguel Angel Pérez, said the sculpture
recalled the efforts made by local people and visitors together.
Source: LA VOZ DE GALICIA, CEG. Editing: ACPress.net
Putting
flowers on the grave, just in case
Madrid, November 7th, 2003
(ACPress.net).
November 1st, 'All Saints'
Day', sees Spanish cemeteries crammed to overflowing with relatives
visiting and tidying the graves of their departed loved ones.
According to a survey, more than half of the country believes
in life after death, but 39% do not, and the rest would rather
not think about it.
Twice as many people believe in heaven as believe in hell, which
shows a happy-go-lucky approach to life. A quarter of those
interviewed think the soul survives after death, while another
quarter think it probably does. Almost half the population believes
God exists, and have no doubts about it.
Source: LA RAZÓN. Editing: ACPress.net
More ghouls
than flowers
Madrid, November 7th, 2003
(ACPress.net).
The market says it all:
pumpkin sales rise while flower sales decline. Halloween gains
ground on the traditional Catholic activity at this time of
year, and one wonders if visiting the cemetery by night will
become as popular as visiting it by day.
Mind you, it is cheaper to do so living than dead. The average
cost of a funeral has risen by 7% for each of the last 8 years,
and now stands at 2,300 euros. The rise in popularity of Halloween
- 'All Hallows' Eve in old English - has sent pumpkin sales
soaring - 240 tons sold this October compared to 100 tons in
the same month last year. Selling at 1.5 euros each, most of
them come already prepared, hollowed-out and with a face, ready
to place the candle within.
A practice apparently taken by the Irish to America, it is now
finding its way back to the European continent. Youngsters dress
up like characters from horror films to celebrate what the Celtic
myth says is the day when the god of death allows the dead to
return to talk to their families. A Mexican variety was also
on show in Madrid whereby people can buy food and drink and
celebrate the return of their deceased loved ones in a show
of attention to them.
Remembering the dead is also behind the Catholic tradition of
going to the cemeteries on November 1st. Florists were anticipating
a 10% drop in sales this year as the custom of placing them
on graves seems to be in decline.
Source: IBLNEWS. Editing: ACPress.net
Courts remove Catholic right
to appoint R.E. Heads of Department
Madrid, November 7th, 2003 (ACPress.net).
The courts have the Catholic
Bishops on the run. Last month a Madrid judge determined that
they do not have the right to transfer R.E. teachers, now another
one has decided that they cannot appoint R.E. Heads of Department
in Secondary Schools either.
The case has been awaiting a verdict since a union representing
R.E. teachers took the issue to court three years ago over the
regulation which stated that only the appropriate 'ecclesiastical
authority' could designate the Heads of Religion in schools.
The court's decision annuls this regulation and brings Religious
Education into line with other departments. In future, Heads
of R.E. will be appointed by the Head Teacher of the school
concerned.
The verdict does not affect the Catholic Church's right to propose
staff to teach Catholic R.E. in Spanish state schools, but does
stop them from interfering in the teachers' day-to-day affairs
and in the management of the school. Alfredo Sepúlveda,
a union spokesman, commented: "Once again the courts have
recognised the intolerable interference of the (Catholic) hierarchy
in issues relating to work, who seek to exercise complete control
over these teachers, and the connivance of the education authorities."
Source: EL MUNDO. Editing: ACPress.net
Future Queen
of Spain's divorce is taboo for Spanish press
Madrid, November 7th, 2003 (ACPress.net).
Being a divorcee will
be no hindrance to the future Spanish queen marrying her (real)
prince in white in the Catholic Almudena Cathedral in Madrid.
The loophole? The Catholic Church conveniently does not recognise
registry office (civil) weddings of Catholics!
So the new fiancée of Spanish heir to the throne Prince
Felipe, state television newsreader Letizia Ortiz, is to all
Roman intents and purposes unmarried, despite possessing a legal
divorce certificate. Yet the Spanish press have been very quiet
about this, ignoring it on their front pages and treading on
eggshells when mentioning it in passing on inside pages. The
international press were less discreet.
The only newspaper not to devote its editorial to the royal
engagement was 'Avui', which was also the only paper not to
include a picture of the Prince's future wife on its cover either.
It did however inform its readership that Ortiz, a newsreader
with Spanish state television (TVE), had been previously married
and got a divorce in 2000. If her civil marriage had not been
annulled then she ran the risk of entering an illicit relationship,
said the paper, though the church wedding could go ahead with
a special dispensation from an obliging Archbishop.
However, this is not the case with Ortiz. Otherwise the Catholic
Church would have ensured that divorce proceedings were undertaken
so as to avoid the charge of bigamy as a church wedding is recognised
by civil law. The priest would also check that obligations towards
the ex-spouse and any children of their union were being fulfilled,
before giving his blessing on the new marriage.
So in the murky world of ecclesiastical nuptial politics, when
the Prince and Ortiz arrive at the altar in Madrid Cathedral
some 8 months hence, Cardinal Rouco will have before him two
people who have never been there before as bride or groom. The
fact that she was married once....sshhh, sweep it under the
nave's carpet.
Source: EL MUNDO, EL PERIÓDICO. Editing: ACPress.net
Meanwhile,
the Bishops blame the Press for failing marriages
Madrid, November 7th, 2003
(ACPress.net).
It probably has nothing
to do with the marital status of the future Queen, but the Chairman
of the Catholic Episcopal Family Commission, Inocente García,
says a marriage ends every 4 minutes in Spain because youngsters
have lost faith in the family as an institution, due to the
influence of the Press and the inhibition of politicians to
say anything about it.
Figures suggest that 52% of marriages do not last 10 years.
García says "in recent years the Press, the cinema
and other institutions do not value or respect the family and
confuse youngsters about what the family is." He believes
the Church can help as it is the only institution which prepares
people for marriage. "Society must value the family more,
and respect it. Politicians have a responsibility to value and
defend it and pass laws and measures which defend the family
and help it fulfil its mission in society."
In 2002, the number of marriages dissolved rose by 11% on the
previous year, affecting 115,000 couples. There were 73,500
separations and 41,500 divorces.
Source: C. SER. Editing: ACPress.net
Evangelical
TV programme gains audience
Madrid, November 7th, 2003
(ACPress.net).
The evangelical programme
'Good News TV' has increased its audience by 2.6 points, doubling
the number of viewers over the preceding, secular, programme.
Since it re-started in a weekly Sunday morning slot on October
5th, its share of viewers has oscillated between 9% and 14%,
which is more than some well-known programmes. Considering that
it goes out at 8.30 on a Sunday morning, it is surprising that
its audience has increased. However, early signs are encouraging,
and on October 19th, its viewing share was above that of equivalent
Jewish, Muslim and Catholic programmes.
Viewer numbers are estimated at between 100,000 and 150,000
and it is hoped will continue to grow as Evangelical Churches
around Spain spread the word about the programme, so that many
people can hear the message of salvation.
Source: BUENAS NOTICIAS Editing:
ACPress.net
Muslim leader
joins calls for removal of crucifixes
Madrid, November 7th, 2003 (ACPress.net).
The Chairman of the Union
of Islamic Communities in Spain, Riay Tatary, said he was in
favour of crucifixes being removed from state schools according
to laicist principles. However, he rejected using the courts
to obtain their removal, as some Muslims are doing in Italy.
Tatary said he preferred dialogue: "We do not want to cause
controversy in the courts, but reach agreeement on this subject
by talking about it." The opposition Socialist Party has
also expressed its support for the removal of religious objects
from non-confessional schools. Tatary emphasised that the presence
of a crucifix did no harm to a Muslim. "It does not affect
us, it affects the education authorities in a non-confessional
state, which should not have religious symbols in its schools."
Source: E. PRESS. Editing: ACPress.net
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