Vatican City, 7 November 2013 (VIS) – With the theme “Evangelising the soul of Europe”, the bishops responsible for social communication of the European Episcopal Conferences will meet for three days in Barcelona, Spain, to discuss the challenges and instruments available to communicate the Gospel in the context of contemporary Europe, in a state of constant flux.

The meeting, promoted by the Council of European Bishops' Conferences (CCEE) Commission on Social Communications, presided by Bishop Jose Ignacio Munilla Aguirre of San Sebastian, Spain, will open tomorrow afternoon with a discussion by Cardinal Lluis Martinez Sistach, archbishop of Barcelona, on innovative communications in his archdiocese and a presentation of the new CCEE website. This will be followed by a debate chaired by Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli on the fifty years that have passed since the “Inter mirifica” decree, its history, and the changes that have occurred since its publication.

Among other topics, on 9 November there will be a discussion on “marketing the Gospel”, or rather, how commercial means of communication can be used for proclaiming the Gospel; technology in the service of the Church, and the communication of Pope Francis.

In the city of Antonio Gaudi, the European bishops will also have the opportunity to consider the role of architecture in the communication of the beauty of creation, and on Sunday, 10 November, at the end of the meeting, they will visit the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia, guided by the architect Jordi Bonet, who will describe how the work of Gaudi may be interpreted as an inseparable unity of liturgy and architecture.