Hunger for the future” “

The spotlights are turned elsewhere, on Iraq, on the Holy Land or the Ivory Coast. That is inevitable. But in this way there’s a risk of forgetting many other situations in the world that are having to cope with chronic problems such as the struggle against poverty, post-war reconstruction, and the hoped-for reconciliation after years of violence. That’s the case of Albania (7 dioceses, 123 parishes, 495,000 faithful) where, amid a thousand difficulties, the civil and ecclesial situation seems nonetheless to he heading in the right direction. Gianni Borsa, SIR correspondent, discussed it with Archbishop ANGELO MASSAFRA of Scutari. What is the situation in Albania? What are the hopes of citizens? “Today people are living in relatively tranquil conditions. There’s no more violence and the democracy, though young, seems to be gaining in strength and to enjoy popular support. Of course, the main problem is poverty: in a country with a population of three million inhabitants, half of whom below the age of 25, unemployment has risen to dreadful levels. There is no work and that’s why our adolescents and families dream of being able to emigrate, of reaching other European nations where they may be able to build for themselves a more decent life. I think, however, we should consider the emergency over: humanitarian aid needs to give way to cooperation for real economic and social development”. What does the country most need? “First of all houses, factories and schools: a people can look to the future with confidence if its youth study and are trained to tackle the future challenges. That’s why projects coming from abroad (from other States, from NGOs, aid associations, dioceses…), aimed at vocational training and the creation of a spirit of entrepreneurship, are always welcome. Experiences of this type have been in operation for some time, thanks to German, French and Italian organizations. But we also have high hopes from Europe”. Do you hope to get concrete aid from Brussels? “Let’s say that we regard the European Union with confidence. Its process of continental integration teaches everyone the virtues of peace, economic cooperation, social development and the rule of law. That’s why our eyes are fixed on the Union and we hope that our relations with Europe may be stepped up, perhaps in a future perspective of institutional rapprochement. For Albania, as for the Balkans as a whole, the EU may be a lifeline. But our people too have something to give: from them may be derived elements useful for a multicultural Europe, open to diversity, a Europe that intends to remain faithful to the ideals of its founding fathers”. What role does the Catholic Church in Albania play? How are its relations with the other religious confessions? “The presence of the religious communities was essential in the recent past, after so many years of Communism and, latterly, war and suffering. Muslims, Protestants and Catholics generally have good relations and, each in its own way, work for mutual understanding, and respect for life, in order to give a future to Albanian men and women. For us Catholics too that is so. In our seven dioceses we have worked tirelessly to provide the population with spiritual and moral support in the more difficult times; those who remained Catholic during the Communist regime and during the war often paid a very high price, sometimes even martyrdom. Today the Church supports the efforts being made to promote democracy and modernization. We would like to help everyone to keep hope alive, to create for themselves an existence worthy of that name, without having to flee elsewhere to be able to live”. What activities have been started? “Many projects have been begun, especially of educational and charitable type. I am thinking of schools, the training of nurses and schoolteachers, looking after disabled children and child victims of violence, and domiciliary care for the chronically ill and the elderly. We also propose public lectures; we try to use the local mass media to spread news of the positive message of the Church; we have translated Familiaris Consortio to give a positive view of the family. Each year we diffuse, in Albanian translation, the message of the Pope for World Peace Day. We try to do everything possible, and are able to rely on overseas aid. But I realise that what we need to insist on most of all is the reconstruction of hope, of values… After so much suffering, people are a tabula rasa. There’s a hunger for everything that may help them to look to the future with serenity”. Are the young and adults willing to work in this direction? “I know that Albanians are seen with suspicion in some regions of Europe, due to clandestine emigration and other reasons. Yet those who have remained have a wish to live in peace again. Communism accustomed the people not to think, not to take the initiative. People expected the State to provide them with work, without working for the common good, Today, new needs are emerging, albeit laboriously, and opening up new horizons”.