Suha Rassam, Iraqi physician, founder of the “charity” ICIN, Iraqi Christians In Need, and author of the book “Christianity in Iraq” was awarded the title of “Catholic woman of the year”. The news was made known by the organization itself located in England. The award was given one year after the establishment of ICIN, meant to support Iraqi Christians from both the financial and spiritual point of view, the ones living in Iraq as well as the emigrated and refugees now living abroad. Born in Mosul, in the North of Iraq, Suha Rassam became physician and then a teacher at the faculty of medicine, University of Baghdad. In 1990, she moved to London where she worked in several hospitals until 2005, when she retired. The “Catholic woman of the year” award was established in 1968 by a network of Catholic organizations, including the Union of Catholic Mothers, the League of the Catholic Women, and the National Association of Catholic Families. The spokeswoman of the award, Joanna Bogle, thus explained the motivation: “This award is meant for those women like Suha Rassam who have paid an extraordinary contribution to Catholic life. The winners won’t get money but just admiration and support by other Catholic women”. The prize-giving is taking place in London next 10th October.

“In spite of social changes and custom changes, the family may just” go on being “originated from marriage, which is its constituent act”, and having “husband, wife and children born from their union as essential members”, thus making up “the basic structure of society and the first foundation and pilaster of the legal and juridical order”. Those words were spoken by jurist Alessandro d’Avack, chairman of the “National Committee for studying the principle of subsidiarity, solidarity and equality, from Leone XIII to the European Constitution”, just before the meeting promoted in Bucharest on 27th and 28th May by the Committee itself and the Roman-Catholic Theological Institution “Santa Teresa” in the capital of Romania. The subject of the meeting is “Humanae Vitae between present times and provocation: a modern response to a centuries-old problem”. D’Avack, who will delve into the subject of family solidarity, said: “The task of the legislator is to change and adapt the rules of common feeling”, as well as “to educate citizens to live family relationships and impulses in a legally and ethically correct manner”. Among others, the president of CCEE, Card. Péter Erdo; the archbishop of Bucharest, Msgr. Ioan Robu; the president of the Papal Academy for Life, Msgr. Elio Sgreccia; Victor Dumitrescu; and the above-mentioned Theological Institute will take part in the meeting.

First ordination of a presbyter for the archbishop who’s been leading the diocese of Moscow since last autumn: Italian Msgr. Paolo Pezzi. On Saturday 24th May, in Saint Petersburg, in the Catholic Church of Assumption, Msgr. Pezzi is ordaining Deacon Nikolaj Vojtechoviè, 31 years old, with Byelorussian origins. Baptized in his home town, Ivje, in 1989, and confirmed in Czêstochowa ten years later, the future priest attended the seminar «Mary Queen of the Apostles» in Saint Petersburg. In 2007, for his bachelor’s degree, he submitted a dissertation on the Eucharist as origin of mercy in the spirituality of Saint Faustina Kowalska. The seminar of Saint Petersburg is the only Catholic seminar all over Russia. It was opened on 29th June 1993 in Moscow and later on moved to San Petersburg, to the building of the Catholic seminar (depending on the metropolitan see of Mogilev) closed by the Bolsheviks in 1918. Today, it is attended by 19 aspiring priests and 12 friars. In Russia, from 1996 to present days, 28 seminarians were ordained priests. The current rector is Msgr. Paolo Pezzi himself. On 29th June, in Tomsk (South Western Siberia), another seminarian is going to be ordained: Deacon Vasilij Zazdravnych.

Over 100 participants representing 44 European countries are meeting in Bled in these days (21st to 24th May), in Slovenia, for the yearly meeting of Caritas Europe, on the subject “From exclusion to equity in Europe”. “Being aware that there are several social models in Europe”, said Caritas Europe, a document supplying the basic principles “for a sustainable social system” was recently drawn up. “The most important objective - pointed out the ecclesial charity body - is social cohesion as society’s ability to ensure wellness to all the people, by reducing unfairness and avoiding focusing”. The programme of the meeting includes also analyses of social protection, and several models will be examined in the light of the social doctrine of the Church, taking into account social and demographic changes in different countries. The event is also an opportunity to inform participants about a deeper collaboration between Caritas Europe and European institutions. A press conference is scheduled in Bled today (at 1.30, Golf Hotel). Among others, Erny Gillen, president of Caritas Europe; Vladimir Spidla, from the European Commission for employment, social affairs and equal opportunities; and Marjeta Cotman, Slovenian minister of work, family and social affairs are taking part in it.