SEVERAL Colombian Bishops have issued a joint pastoral letter calling on priests, religious and laymen to intensify their work in the social, economic and educational fields. The Bishops note in their letter that to leave all the problems in the hands of the State would he "to adopt a sterile, childish attitude."
They also urged the government to speed up land reform programmes, and reminded the rich that moving capital out of the country was hurting Colombia's economy.
They told workers that they should not just claim rights and ask for help, hut should take a sincere interest in their work, improvetheir skills and form cooperatives, trade unions and self help community projects.
The Colombian Government announced last month that it was going to confiscate three large estates, totalling nearly 45.000 acres, for redistribution to landless farm workers.
Children help
WEST GERMAN school-children have undertaken to finance a £5,000 centre for crippled children at Umtata, in Bantu territory near Durban, South Africa. 'the money will come from their own voluntary contributions.
Fr. Koppelberg of Aachen, the National director of the Pontifical Association for the Holy Childhood in Germany, said this week in Durban that the German children arc also paying for special training for two African nuns in England.
Three White Sisters will run the centre when it opens, but an allAfrican staff will eventually take over.
Cuban refugees
MEDICAL aid valued at over £150,000 were given to thousands of Cuban refugees last year by Miami doctors and surgeons who volunteered their services at two Catholic hospitals and at the clinic of Miami's Spanish Centre.
CRS-NCWC have also announced that during 1962 they resettled twice as many Cuban refugees as during the previous year. The total number of refugees helped during 1962 was 20,000.
A CRS official stressed that resettlement meant more than iust moving people, it meant "integration—social, economic and religious."
Entente cordiale
PARTNERSHIPS between German and French parishes arc being encouraged by Catholic men's organisations in the archdiocese of Freiburg and the diocese of Strasbourg, France.
The purpose of these partnerships is to unite the parishes through mutual activities and personal contacts between parishinners.
The Freiburg Catholic Men's Association has reported that 10 such partnerships have been formed between parishes in the Alsace region of Eastern France and the Baden region of Western Germany. and that nearly 20 more partnerships are being prepared.
Chaplains pray CATHOLIC and Protestant Chaplains of the French armed forces have met in Paris to pray for the success of the Vatican Council. The meeting was held during a three-day gathering of 350 Catholic chaplain i presided over by Cardinal FeItin, Archbishop of Paris.
Pastor de Cabrol. director of the Protestant Chaplain Corps, told the meeting "Up to now, our paths have been parallel. In this year of the Council, thanks to Pope John, thanks to the research of the Churches and thanks to the Holy Spirit, our paths now converge."
Gen. Paul Stehlin, Commandant of the French Air Force, represented Pierre Messmer, Minister of the Armed Forces, at the meeting.