Press Release

COMECE Plenary Assembly | EU Bishops to discuss implications of the Russian war in Ukraine

2019 Autumn COMECE Plenary Assembly. (Credit: COMECE)

Delegates of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union will hold the Autumn COMECE Plenary Assembly in Brussels on 12-14 October 2022 for an in-depth discussion on the socio-economic and geopolitical implications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with a particular emphasis on the energy crisis.

The event will feature a dialogue meeting with Klaus Welle, Secretary-General of the European Parliament, an exchange with Pascal Lamy, former Director General of the World Trade Organisation and Coordinator of the Jacques Delors think tanks network, and Philip McDonagh, Director of the Centre for Religion, Human Values, and International Relations at the Dublin City University.

In the current context of the Russian military aggression on Ukraine, the EU Bishops will analyse the diverse implications of the war, shaping future COMECE contributions to EU policies promoting peace and justice in Europe and the world.

The Assembly will be an occasion for EU Episcopates Delegates to exchange on the current energy crisis, in particular on its socio-economic, geopolitical, and ecological dimensions. The attention of the EU Bishops will turn to the condition of the many refugees who have fled from their own country because of the conflict and to the most economically vulnerable people who find it difficult to meet their basic needs due to the rising energy and commodities prices.

Media
The COMECE Plenary Assembly is a closed-door event. Journalists and media operators interested in covering the event or interviewing Bishops are strongly encouraged to contact the Press Office of COMECE.

Mass for Europe
The programme also includes a Mass for Europe, to be celebrated at the Church of Notre-Dame des Victoires au Sablon, Place du Grand Sablon, Brussels, on Wednesday 12 October 2022 at 19:00 (CET). The Mass will be presided by COMECE President H.Em. Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ, and concelebrated by the Bishop Delegates of the Episcopates of the 27 EU Member States. It is a public event and does not require registration.