Austria: a “sincere examination” of Nazism Although painful, Churches need to undertake a “sincere examination” of the years of Nazi rule and “call their own co-responsibility by name”, despite the single “lights of solidarity”. This is in brief the position of the Executive board of the Ecumenical Council of Austrian Churches (Örko), expressed in a statement issued on March 12 on the occasion of the commemoration of the events of March 1938. Precisely because of “the enormous suffering” and of “Churches’ co-responsibility” in the events of 70 years ago, Christians must not view this as a “closed chapter”. “Still today”, is written in the statement, “the oppressing question on the reason which led Christians to be blinded by Nazism and be perpetrators of its crimes, remains unanswered. “Many Evangelical Christians, but also many Catholics, reaching up to Church leadership, perceived the annexation as a “liberation”, the document recalls, pointing to the fact that “the triumph of evil” was consumed “openly, it wasn’t at all concealed. “Following the annexation, Jewish citizens disappeared and nobody dared ask what had happened”. According to Örko, a major role was played by “Christian anti-Judaism, which had been ‘reformed’ in the 19th century in order to involve the masses” and which blinded Christians “to the homicidal anti-Semitism of Nazi ideology”. Even theologians were involved in this sense of bewilderment. They were fascinated by the idea of “an Arian, Nordic Christ”. However, the document remarks, church representatives of all confessions gradually acknowledged the consequences of this ideology, when they realized the anti-clerical and anti-human policies of the regime”. The statement clearly mentions the few “lights of faith and solidarity” in support of the victims of persecution: “the support centre for non-Arian Catholics”, in the archbishop’s see of Wien, the “Swedish Mission” and the Quakers’ support centres. “It should also be kept in mind that in the common suffering in concentration camps and in the desert of the war, the seed of ecumenism was placed, which continues bearing its fruits still today”. Therefore, the statement concludes, “the acknowledgement of past mistakes must nourish today’s firmness in acting according to the Gospel, constantly listening to the Word of God and asking the bestowal of discernment and clarity in the spirit of Jesus Christ”. England: solidarity trade on the increaseMsgr. John Rawsthorne, bishop in charge of “Cafod”, the Catholic Church’s agency for aid to Third World Countries of England and Wales, announced the positive increase in solidarity trade: 81% in the year 2007. Its turnout is presently 493 million pounds – 704 million euros – according to data published by the “Fairtrade Foundation”, which promotes the sale of goods produced according to fair working conditions. The adoption of “Fairtrade” label entails paying a fair salary to Third World producers and investing in better working conditions. Also dioceses, cities and parishes which promote the sale of solidarity goods can become “Fairtrade” supporters. “It’s great to see that supermarkets sell fair trade products since it means that consumers purchase them. It took a lot of work and time but the outcome is clear”, declared Msgr. Rawsthorne, who is also the bishop of the diocese of Hallam, to the Catholic daily “The Universe”. “We mustn’t rest on our laurels. We have to continue with our commitment”. In the United Kingdom the most important supermarket chains sell fairtrade products. Among those who were granted this label figure major manufacturers such as “Tale & Lyle”, a well-known sugar factory. In Scotland the campaign promoting the purchase of the solidarity label enjoys the Parliament’s support. In order to be granted the title, each city and 55% of local bodies must already have been granted the label. Last week also fairtrade ‘vin santo’, a wine produced by the “Los Robles” cooperative in Chile was put on the market. “Poterion”, this is the name of the wine, is distributed by the import company of Staffordshire “Whitebridge Wines”. Among the most popular fairtrade products figure bananas, whose sale reached 150 million pounds – 214 million euros – and cotton, whose turnover for “Fairtrade” amounts to 35 million pounds, 50 million euros.
