In a series of official meetings with high representatives of the EU institutions, Bishop Mgr. Zsifkovics (Austria) addressed some of the most pressing issues for Europe and the Catholic Church. The meetings took place in the context of an official trip to Brussels, held on 19-21 February 2024. The meetings were facilitated by COMECE. The Bishop was accompanied by a group of journalists from the Austrian press. Photo Gallery
Mgr. Zsifkovics, COMECE Adviser Moravitz and a group of Austrian journalists together with Johannes Hahn, EU Commissioner on Budget and Administration. (Photo: Paul Wuthe / Kathpress)
During his stay in Brussels, H.E. Mgr. Aegidius Zsifkovics, Bishop of Eisenstadt and delegate of the Austrian Episcopal Conference to COMECE, met with numerous representatives of European institutions, MEPs, and representatives of Churches and faith-based organisations.
Among these, Mgr. Zsifkovics was received by Johannes Hahn, EU Commissioner on Budget and Administration, and MEP Othmar Karas, First Vice-President of the European Parliament and EP responsible for Article 17 TFEU. The Bishop of Eisenstadt also met with other Members of the European Parliament, including the Austrian Lukas Mandl, and with the Apostolic Nuncio to the European Union, H.E. Mgr. Noel Treanor.
Mgr. Zsifkovics and First Vice-President of the European Parliament Othmar Karas. (Photo: Paul Wuthe / Kathpress)
The Bishop had the opportunity to discuss the most pressing issues and challenges in the upcoming European elections. He spoke about the need to return to the Christian roots of the European Union and emphasized the promotion of a just peace and of the European values of freedom, solidarity, democracy, human rights.
During his stay in Brussels, the Bishop also visited COMECE, where he met the General Secretary, Fr. Manuel Barrios Prieto, and a group of advisors. The Austrian delegation was furthermore received at the Conference of European Churches (CEC).
This official visit not only strengthened the ties between the Austrian Catholic Church and the European institutions but also offered a platform to highlight the importance of ongoing and constructive dialogue in support of the shared values that form the heart of the European Union.