Off to Brussels!

European Parliament

The interns are off to Brussels tomorrow to learn about the EU parliament, COMECE and see where our fellow Brussels intern has been living.


On Wednesday (22 June) we'll meet Michael Kuhn,Deputy General Secretary, Advisor for Education and Culture at COMECE along with Johanna Touzel, Press Officer for an introduction to the programme, religious organisations in Brussels and how COMECE interfaces with the EU.


After lunch at the COMECE Secretariat we grab a coffee with Wendelin Gravenreuth, Project Manager, Confederation of European Forest Owners. Then we meet Tim Foley (2md Secretary, Press and Information)

Then it's off to European Parliament where we're meeting a former intern - Rhiannon Price, who is currently working for Kay Swinburn MEP. 

Afterwards we'll meet with  Jacek Sariusz-Wolski, EPP followed by a tour of Parliament with a visit to a mini Plenary session.

To give us a flavour of a typical EU parliamentary meeting we'll attend a hearing "Connecting Europe's transport and energy infrastructures". 

Lastly we'll meet Andrew Hollingsworth, Public Affairs Manager, Novartis.

On Thursday we're off to meet Fr Frank Turner, at the Jesuit European Office followed by Iris Reinmidl, World Youth Alliance (WYA).

In the afternoon we'll off to the European Commission to discuss Dialogue with Religions, Churches and Communities of conviction, with Mr Jorge César das Neves, Adviser, Bureau of European Political Advisers (BEPA). 

The day ends with the Council of the European Union where we'll meet Mr Guy Milton who is responsible for relations between the Council and the European Parliament.

Mass ends our intern trip to Brussels, and a busy few days!
I've been to Brussels once before - as have the others - but none of us has seen the EU parliament. For the parlimentary interns this should be particularly illuminating - comparing the EU to our own parliament. Having worked so closely to our system I wonder what they will think of the EU? We'll let you know how it goes when we get back next week!

A different point of view - literally!

It was clear that throughout our visit to the Vatican we'd gained a greater understanding the way things work. But, while we'd changed our point of view on a lot of old myths surrounding the Church's home in Rome we also had a different point of view more literally!

Take a look a the stunning view from the Secretariat of State - impressive, no?

Jo-Anne
Media Intern

Saturday's ordinariate ordinations - the press perspective

Unless you've been hiding under a rock recently, you will be aware that last Saturday Church history was made as we saw the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham set up and Fr Keith Newton named as the first Ordinary for England and Wales.

I was lucky enough to be helping out with press at the Ordination Mass at Westminster Cathedral thanks to my internship with Archbishop's House. My day began like a normal work day, with an early start, though the roads and streets are definitely a lot quieter on a Saturday! I helped sort out the press packs, making sure there were press releases and an order of service in each press pack before the media turned up (a lot later than we had to!).

I had never been to an ordination before so that was an experience in itself, its hard to convey how many momentous things occurred in such a short space of time; that the ordinariate was set up, that we have a named Ordinary now, that the three former Anglican Bishops were ordained opening the way for many more to come across is all important and slightly overwhelming in its magnitude.

Positive press

Some press got this, some press didn't - there were plenty of press to herd around that turned up to cover the Mass, probably unsuspecting that two and a half hours later they'd still be standing in the cold Cathedral! It was great to see the amount of coverage and interest there was, and to be a part of that.

Over the past week, I think it has become clearer to me that there is a need to help the press understand occasions such as this one, so the right information can be shared with the public. In helping the press cover the ordinations on Saturday the press office did a great job at aiding this. It is enlightening and equally revealing to hear some of the questions journalists and press ask, and helped me see what is hard to understand about the Ordinariate, and the process they're going through. it was even more interesting to see the newspapers the following day and the range of articles resulting from the ordinations - including some very strange takes on the proceedings it must be said! I'd recommend the press releases that were put out, especially the informative Q&A, to anyone who was still unclear as to what "all this Ordinariate business" was about. They've all been uploaded to the Diocese of Westminster website - http://www.rcdow.org.uk/ as well as the CBCEW's website.

I was left extremely tired after the busy day we had, but I found it fascinating. Now, following on from my involvement with the Papal Visit and the 'Ordinariate experience', I would say it's safe to say that this is a very exciting time for the Catholic Church. I can only imagine what's to come next!

Jo-Anne Rowney
Archbishop's House Public Affairs Intern

A photo gallery of the ordinations

Audio of Archbishop Vincent's Homily

Personal Ordinariate Information