CEI meets with Culture Ministry

(ANSA) - Rome, November 8 - The Italian Bishops Conference (CEI) on Tuesday submitted a prioritised list of churches that need post-earthquake rebuilding in a meeting with Italy's Culture Ministry.
    "Churches are heritage for people's identity and belonging, places of gathering, recognition and celebration, places made even more meaningful by the tragedy that has deprived thousands of people of homes," CEI said, adding that the list of priority churches was compiled for the good of individual communities.
    During the meeting at Rome's CEI headquarters with representatives from dioceses in Abruzzo, Marche, Lazio and Umbria and presided over by CEI Secretary General Monsignor Nunzio Galatino, CEI requested that it be recognized as an "acting agency in order to directly intervene in the securing and subsequent restoration and rebuilding work, and to be able to count on tax breaks that allow private entities to deduct donations for maintenance, protection and restoration".
    On Wednesday CEI President Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco will visit the town of San Pellegrino di Norcia with the archbishop of Spoleto to speak with those affected by the October 30 earthquake and view what remains of the Basilica of St.
    Benedict.