Europe’s baby deficit is becoming impossible to ignore. In Rome on Friday, Italy’s prime minister, Mario Draghi, and Pope Francis were the star attendees at a special conference to discuss the country’s declining birthrate. According to the latest figures, 2020 saw the lowest number of births recorded since the Italian unification in 1861. Spain is Read more
The outbreak of plague in Europe between 1347-1352 CE – known as the Black Death – completely changed the world of medieval Europe. Severe depopulation upset the socio-economic feudal system of the time but the experience of the plague itself affected every aspect of people’s lives. Disease on an epidemic scale was simply part of Read more
Belgian Cardinal, Jozef De Kesel discusses with “New Europe” the role of the Catholic Church in modern Europe. Today’s Europe, where pluralism and secularism have changed the dynamic between Europe’s citizens and their relationship with one of the continent’s oldest institutions. What do you think it means to be Catholic in Europe today? What are Read more
Western Europe, cradle of Protestantism and historical seat of Catholicism, has become one of the most secular regions in the world. This was confirmed by a survey study promoted by the US Pew Research Center on religious faith and practice in Western European countries. The percentage of lapsed Christians is increasing and a look at Read more
Hundreds of Catholics and politicians gathered to discuss the problems and the future of Europe at the end of last month. They called the event “(Re)Thinking Europe.” Pope Francis was one of the many speakers. A theme emerged from what they had to say: Religion is still essential to Europe. Read more
Wasil awoke to the sound of a knife ripping through nylon. Although he was only twelve years old, he was living alone in a small tent at a refugee camp in Calais, France, known as the Jungle. Men entered his tent; he couldn’t tell how many. A pair of hands gripped his throat. He shouted. Read more
I’m sure that you have all heard about the migrant crisis in Europe that is still ongoing. However, last year the numbers of people trekking across the continent and crammed into overcrowded, dangerous boats was staggering. Now some of the numbers are coming to light of the change in European states’ population make-up over the Read more
European civilisation is dying. It is dying in plain sight and almost nobody is talking about it. No, our civilisation is not succumbing to onslaught from an external foe. But we seem to be suffering from a pernicious anaemia of the spirit that drags us down from inside. There are many symptoms of this decline Read more
A cardinal has said that Pope Francis and Europe’s people have differing views on the migrant crisis because the Pontiff comes from another continent. Cardinal Dominik Duka, the archbishop of Prague, spoke about the crisis in an interview with a Czech newspaper. “The sensitivity of Pope Francis on social issues is different from ours in Read more
Echoing Martin Luther King, Pope Francis has offered a vision of a revitalised Europe at a critical moment in its history. On Friday, Francis gave a thunderous speech after accepting the prestigious German Charlemagne Prize, which is for “services of Western European understanding and work for the community”. The Pontiff criticised a “resignation and weariness Read more