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The MEKT the Central European Katholikentag (Catholic Congress), ended at Mariazell, in Austria, on Sunday 23 May. Promoted by eight Episcopal Conferences (Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary), the “pilgrimage of peoples” that concluded the MEKT was attended by over 80,000 pilgrims. The participating Episcopal conferences drew up a joint “message of Mariazell”. A résumé of the document is given below. “SHOWING CHRIST TO PEOPLE”. “Many Europeans only have a superficial knowledge of Christ or don’t know him at all. We are called to show Christ to them. We encounter Him by immersing ourselves in Holy Scripture, in prayer and in the celebration of the liturgy […]. If we have truly found Christ, He will lead us to share our joy with others”. “ LEARNING AND TEACHING TO PRAY“. “Europe will only be blessed if there are many people who pray, both together and individually, thus giving to God a response of praise, thanksgiving and invocation to the word that He addresses to us in ever new ways through the creation and through redemption. Our parish communities must increasingly become schools of prayer, holiness and beauty, which are an integral part of the splendour of God and must once again distinguish the liturgy”. “GROWING IN KNOWLEDGE OF THE FAITH“. “Within a learning society it is essential that Christians have a good knowledge of the fundamentals of the Christian faith, so that they can share it with people of other religions and lifestyles”. “VISIBLE SIGNS“. “Every day in our countries we are flooded with words and images. But very few of these speak of God or of the Church. As Christians, however, we can counter them with positive signs, by displaying the Cross, by saying grace before meals and by openly discussing religious questions. The Cross and other Christian symbols have their place both in private and in public life. We can make a major contribution to the well-being of society in our countries”. “ SaFEGUARDING THE TRADITION OF SUNDAY“. “Sunday as a rest day is another asset whose sacrifice would profoundly damage society as a whole […]. We wish to seek and share alliances against the devaluation of the significance of Sunday”. “SAFEGUARDING AND DEVELOPING LIFE”. “Convinced Christians are friends of human life in all its dimensions: friends of life born and unborn, of life completed, of life in health and in sickness, of the life of the disabled, of earthly and eternal life. This life is now being particularly threatened at its beginning and its end. We therefore pledge with all our mental, emotional and physical forces to safeguard and develop the person and his environment. Our major concern must go to marriage and the family. These are indispensable elements for society and for the Church. The low birth rate in our countries is one of the greatest problems in Europe. We shall continue steadfastly to appeal to the ideals of solidarity in marriage and the family and help those who have suffered the interruption of a stable relationship”. “ PromOTING solidariTY IN EuropE AND IN THE WORLD“. “The Catholics of our eight countries … have done a lot together, and for each other. In this way they have reinforced the solidarity of civil society in our countries. This cooperation cannot be allowed to abate once the ‘pilgrimage of peoples’ has ended. We bishops exhort all the Christians entrusted to us: pursue the journey begun at the heart of our continent, together with all Christians and with all humanity. The pilgrimage of peoples is and shall remain an important stage in this journey. May the memory of the miraculous image of Our Lady of Mariazell accompany us!”.
