Report ICCPPC Europe 2017


 
Europe
 

What has happened in Europe since the last congress?

Marc Helfer (France) was elected as the Europe representative in Cameroon, as agreed at the last Congress Malachy Keegan/England followed him after two years in 2013. In October 2014 I was elected as the Europe representative.

I travelled to various countries to get them into or to revive their participation in ICCPPC, among others these are: Spain, Italy, France, Luxemburg, Sweden, Belgium. Furthermore I contacted most of the European Bishop's conferences to get connected, however, not all responded.

 

European meetings

There have been 5 European meetings since the last congress: January 2013 in Lviv/ Ukraine, in June 2014 in West Byfleet/England, in October 2014 and February 2015 in Vienna/Austria and in September 2016 in Rome.

I attended a conference in Brussels in May 2016 held by the European Commission dealing with the issue of "De-radicalisation in Prisons" in the European Union. Many different professionals were present. The outcome was that ICCPPC Europe could get financial support from the EU for holding seminars regarding that topic (min €100.000, 80% from EU, which cannot afford).

Quite a few European prison chaplains attended a conference in Strasbourg held by the CCEE at the end of May 2016 dealing with the same question. Radicalization in prisons is a rising issue in some, esp. Western European countries.

 

Succesful

The following things have been successful: 12 countries were present at the last European meeting, Spain and Italy are back in our organization. Europe is now represented in the Global Board. New contacts and exchanges have been established between some nations (Germany/Latvia, between some Eastern European countries etc.) as well as to the Catholic Church in the Russian Federation.

 

What are the upcoming issues in Europe?

  • trying to stay in and/or establish contact with non-membering countries
  • offering and/or establishing training of prison chaplains where needed
  • creation of European guidelines
  • increase of efficiency in collaboration throughout Europe
  • collaboration with the Holy See (iustitia et pax?)

The representative of Europe