Fifteen years after” “

A week after the fall of the Berlin Wall, on 17 November 1989, the bloodless Velvet Revolution led to the end of the Soviet regime in Czechoslovakia. In contrast to what happened in 1968 the movement was not stopped by Soviet tanks. So it came to pass that in January 1990, in the country’s first free and democratic elections, Václav Havel, former dissident and leader of the Charter 77 movement, who headed the opposition, was elected President. The separation of Czechoslovakia into two nations took place on 1st January 1993: the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which both entered the European Union on 1st May 2004. SIR has interviewed Bishop Jan Graubner of Olomuc and president of the Czech Episcopal Conference and the spokesman of the Slovak bishops, Msgr. Marian Gavenda . What do you remember of the days of the Velvet Revolution 15 years ago? “Especially the joy about the collapse of the Communist regime, and the mood of great hope and expectation. Looking back, today we can see that some things could have been achieved more rapidly and effectively. On the other hand, we did many things as ‘amateurs’, without experience or particular preparation. Today we are better prepared and have succeeded in realizing many things: for example theological faculties, seminaries and pastoral centres have been established in our Churches; many laypeople have got involved in the work of the Church; Caritas has taken shape”. What remains of Communism today? “The consequences of the Communist regime can still be felt today, especially when combined with liberalism. Atheism led to ignoring or repudiating the natural order and the natural values. Previously law and justice were in the hands of the Communist party; now they are in the hands of Parliament. And Parliament is influenced by the principle of the absence of respect for property, for man and his dignity. It wants to decide unilaterally on truth and morality. We have laws against the crimes of Communism; but the Communists are in Parliament and television channels give space for their propaganda”. Has the democratic dream been realised with EU entry? “Entry into the EU undoubtedly represents an encouragement and a great certainty for our young democracy, but this is influenced by the positions of some people in our country, according to whom EU membership means only uncurbed freedom and opportunities for purely personal advantages. The same people accuse the Church of totalitarianism whenever it dares to raise its voice on moral issues. On the other hand, as Czech believers, we are surprised by the fact that the EU, which has a Christian majority, is unable to influence policy and defend Christian values. From this point of view we would have expected greater help”. What still remains to be done in the democratisation process? “Experience shows us that democracy is a method of government that can function only if used by people of quality. Democracy alone cannot educate and without education we are preparing the way for a new totalitarianism. We therefore see in education an essential task of the Church for the diffusion of the Gospel. A good Christian education is able to prepare a lasting democracy”. The courage of the Church In those days, fifteen years ago, the only resistance in Slovakia was the moral resistance of Catholics who fuelled the hope that the Communist regime would crumble. This hope was professed by the thousands of Catholic pilgrims to the Marian sanctuaries at Levoèa and Šaštín, where they arrived without giving any thought to the police or the risk of persecution. Then came the first public demonstration, on 25 March 1988, the famous ‘Good Friday of Bratislava’. Now 15 years later unknown ‘heroes’ and dissidents are appearing in the newspapers and on television screens. But the courage of Catholics and their contribution are barely remembered today. Is that only the short memory of the media? Today there are even those who feel nostalgia for “the bondage of Egypt” and who relish enumerating the problems that have arisen after the end of Communism, blaming everything on the change of regime rather than seeing in it a chance for democratic growth. One question remains open: “what use are we making of our regained freedom?” We have discovered that the regime was not the only evil and that it wasn’t enough to make it collapse to achieve paradise on earth. But after fifteen years of spiritual, political and social fermentation, today I think that the citizens of Slovak society and the faithful of the Church are more mature to tackle the challenges posed to them by politics and society.