Final report: care system failed to protect Dutch children
The Samson Committee investigating the abuse of children in state care in the Netherlands since 1945 is accusing the entire system - from the government to the foster care service to care homes themselves - of failing to do enough to protect children against sexual abuse. In releasing its final report on Monday, tellingly titled ‘Surrounded by care, still not safe‘, the committee said it would send 42 sexual abuse files to public prosecutors for consideration - this out of the 800 claims it received in the two years since it’s been investigating sexual abuse cases of children in care. ‘We don’t have any insight into the criteria they used for sending cases to the public prosecutor, but they must have reason to think they can still make cases after all these years,’ says Jolien Verweij, spokesperson for the Dutch NGO Defence for Children International. ‘But any chance to do something is good.’
Pray: that the care system in the Netherlands would be upgraded to enable it to meet the needs of those they serve. (1Pe.5:2)
More: http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/final-report-care-system-failed-protect-dutch-children-0
FES World Assembly begins
Hundreds of delegates from 154 countries will meet in Krakow, Poland, not to discuss politics or finances, but to discuss Jesus. Three or four student and leader delegates from each of 150 student movements in the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) meet every four years as part of the week-long World Assembly. IFES was founded in 1947 as a way to gather student ministries together into one world mission. InterVarsity Christian Fellowship is just one of the dozens of student movements involved in IFES and represented at the World Assembly this week. ‘Everybody goes home with new ideas and strategies for ministry and evangelism on their campuses,’ explains Grahm Bob Grahmann, director of the IFES ‘So the end result of this World Assembly will be more, and better, and deeper, and more effective evangelism to students in universities around the world.’
Pray: that this conference would be led by God’s Spirit to be more effective in evangelising university students. (Jn.17:23)
Feels like teen spirit
This summer, some 100,000 young people from around the world – mostly between the age of 15 and 30 – will gather outside a village in the middle of France. They've been arriving here since June, to pitch tents, strike up friendships, enjoy plenty of music, and they'll continue to come until September. But this isn't some Gallic Glastonbury – it's a Christian community, and the crowds will sing psalms, not pop songs. At the heart of Communauté de Taizé, named after the small village near the site, are over 100 monks, who live together very simply, in a life devoted to prayer, singing and silence. Drawn from over 30 different countries, the community is ecumenical, with Catholics and Protestants worshipping together. When asked why so many young people come, Brother David said ‘It's not to tell them what they should or should not do, it's to let them have that time of meeting with themselves, with others, and with Christ.’
Pray: for the Taizé community and the many visitors that they may learn more about and grow closer to Christ. (1Co.14:26)
Faith leaders reconfirm cooperation
Faith leaders gathered in Brussels have expressed their readiness to work with the European Union institutions to promote fundamental freedoms. This was the seventh in a series of annual meetings aimed at keeping dialogue open with churches and communities of conviction. The President of the European Council spoke of humanity’s shared historic march toward freedom and justice, values rooted in the European Treaties. It was underscored that cooperation with religious groups in an effective EU neighbourhood policy has a vast scope — from education and health to rebuilding post-conflict societies.
Pray: for the continued cooperation and understanding between religious groups. (Ac.2:44)
More: http://www.euronews.net/2011/05/30/eu-faith-leaders-reconfirm-cooperation/
Evangelization campaign to launch in 12 European cities
Church leaders from 12 major European dioceses who hope to re-evangelize their cities during Lent 2012 met this week in Rome to finalize plans for a new initiative called ‘Metropolitan Missions,’ reports Catholic News Agency. ‘The climate of unity among the cities that share same project was very strong,’ Auxiliary Bishop Jean Kockerols of Mechelen-Brussels, Belgium told CNA at the conclusion of the Jan. 9 meeting. ‘It was very interesting to hear from the other 11 cities who are working on the same priority,’ he added.
Also represented were the Metropolitan Archdioceses of Barcelona, Budapest, Cologne, Dublin, Lisbon, Liverpool, Paris, Turin, Warsaw and Vienna. The meeting was hosted by the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization, which is headed by Archbishop Rino Fisichella. This year’s ‘metropolitan missions’ are the first of their kind. If deemed successful, they could be introduced elsewhere around the world, including the United States, in the coming years.
Pray: for the Metropolitan Missions and that through the power of the Holy Spirit they will bring revival to their cities. (Mk.13:10)
EU’s Ashton expects breakthrough In Kosovo dispute
The European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton says Serbia and Kosovo are close to a deal to end the ethnic partition of the former Serbian province. She spoke after the leaders of both nations expressed optimism about an agreement as early as this week. In a significant U-turn, Serbia offered to recognize the authority of Kosovo's government over the north, in exchange for autonomy for Serbs living there. The two sides were at odds however over the powers any Serb institutions in the north would have. But Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic now says they are in his words ‘never closer’ to settling their differences. Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim Thaci told reporters earlier they were at what he called ‘the beginning of the end’ in reaching an accord to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia. The two men spoke after separate talks with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Belgrade and Pristina.
Pray: for the success of these discussions and pray for a breakthrough that will bring reconciliation. (Eph.4:13)
More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/27189-news-watch-eus-ashton-expects-breakthrough-in-kosovo-dispute