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Church in the WorldState takes back St Vitus cathedralCzech Republic Jonathan Luxmoore - 21 April 2007The Czech Catholic Church has handed over Prague cathedral to the state after a February court ruling overturned the Church's ownership, writes Jonathan Luxmoore. The Gothic St Vitus cathedral, which dominates the Prague skyline, was founded in 1344 by Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV and nationalised under a 1954 Communist decree. Although it was returned to the Church in 1994, Czech MPs launched a series of appeals. In its February ruling, the Supreme Court cancelled a June 2006 municipal court decision recognising the Church as legal owner. However, a Catholic lawyer, Petr Zdercik, told Prague Radio that church leaders were ready to go to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. The Czech bishops' conference spokesman, Jiri Gracka, told The Tablet: "Though deprived of ownership, the Church will still hold services in the cathedral, but the legal process has to start all over again." Prague's district court is to begin hearing a fresh church claim to the cathedral on 3 May. |
 In this week’s issueMaking markets moral Iron and velvet Love in a Catholic climate Someone to talk to A good Lent takes planning South American surprise Can the Church support abuse victims on its own terms? Elena Curti Is the Church too slow in recognising that academies are the future for Catholic schools? Christopher Lamb Goodwin the scapegoat Elena Curti The pain of being a coeliac Catholic Sr M, guest contributor The Church's moral obligation to victims of clerical sexual abuse Speeches from this week's conference in Rome This week in Rome bishops and religious superiors met at the first Vatican-backed symposium devoted to forging a global response to the crisis of clerical sexual abuse that has disgraced ... Archbishop voices 'shame and sorrow' after priest's abuse trial Longley to visit parishes 'damaged' by Walsh Today, Tuesday 7 February, Bede Walsh, who served as a Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Birmingham, has been convicted by a jury, following a 10-day trial at Stoke-on-Trent ...
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