The roots of the future” “

They arrived in Genoa from all over Europe. For a week, from 5 to 12 July, over 800 teenagers from Poland, Slovakia, Serbia, Montenegro, Romania, Portugal, Austria, Belgium, Germany and Finland had a chance to get to know Genoa, which this year, together with Lille, has been designated European capital of culture. Numerous events were packed into the week: prayer meetings, moments of reflection, catechesis and visits to the city and to its Christian sites (churches, monasteries, holy places and charitable institutions active in the Ligurian diocese). During the various meetings, a lot of discussion was devoted to Europe, its Christian roots, and the construction of a new civilization based on solidarity and the spirit of sharing. The prospect of united Europe, that up till recently seemed remote, now seems closer and more accessible. The young visitors hope to see each other again in Cologne for World Youth Day next year. Irene Alvarez, from Helsinki in Finland. “I came to Genoa from Finland, which has a small Catholic community of only about 8000 faithful. I wished to accompany the youth of the community so that they would have a chance to get to know other teenagers like them, with whom they share their own faith and, in this way, really feel themselves a living part of the universal Church. European meetings like this one in Genoa demonstrate that young people are the most eloquent testimony of the Christian roots of Europe. That’s why I can’t hide my disappointment about the lack of any reference to our Christian roots in the new European Constitution, in spite of the appeals of the Vatican and the Pope. But I remain confident about the future, because as Christians we must never abandon hope and trust. Moreover I also see many good things and I am convinced that, through our work, example and prayer, we young people can really help to build a better Europe”. Lysa Kostyleva, from St. Petersburg in Russia. “This event is really very impressive, because it brings together youth of various countries, especially from the Slav countries. In our delegation, moreover, there are many Orthodox, a youth from the Armenian Church and even three Muslims. What most struck me is the warmth of the welcome given to us; it was really perfect. My country doesn’t form part of the Europe, but I firmly believe that if there had been a reference to the Christian roots of the Old Continent, this would have represented a further step to bring us closer to our origins. Russia has only recently been liberated from the yoke of communism but its Constitution still lacks the necessary articles to regulate religious life, and no attention is still being paid to the needs of believers in civil life. I teach educational science at the University of St. Petersburg and I see how much Christian students suffer because the philosophy that is taught is still based on Marxism and is of secular and materialist stamp. For this reason it is not possible to speak of God or faith. These questions remain confined to the private life of each individual. The pressure of our past is still strong. This is especially due to the fact that most of the professors in the universities are of advanced age; they are the same who taught under the previous regime”. For Alessio Tordielli, a 4th year engineering student from Genoa, “it was a wonderful experience; I have compared it with World Youth Day. We have shared experiences that have helped to bring closer together young people who normally live very far apart. Moreover, it was an important formative experience to understand how many European youngsters live and practice their own faith in Christ. The fact that so many youth arrived in Genoa, invited by our Church and by our archbishop, is, I think, the best possible testimony of the unifying power of religious feeling and of Christian feeling in particular. What a shame that European politicians chose not to recognize these common roots in the European Constitution! It is up to us young people to remember them, always”.