There’s scope for faith

Though “a Christian society no longer exists” in Europe, “there’s ample scope for a Christian view of reality”, but what’s needed is that the Church “should be herself, overcome the internal temptation of secularization, bear witness to the Risen Christ, and restore God to Europe”: so declared the general secretaries of the European Bishops’ Conferences at the end of their meeting at Covadonga (Spain) on 30 June. Promoted by the Council of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE), the meeting had been held at the invitation of the Spanish Episcopal Conference and its secretary Mgr. Juan Antonio Martínez Camino, auxiliary bishop of Madrid, on the theme: “The religious situation in Europe: between secularisation and the demand for meaning and spirituality”. Delegates at the meeting included the secretaries of the Bishops’ Conferences of Albania, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, England and Wales, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Romania, Russia, Scandinavia, Saints Cyril and Methodius, Scotland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine (Byzantine rite) and Ukraine (Latin rite). No to the “liquefaction” of faith. “The time has come to deepen our faith, our sense of being Christians, our belonging to the Church, our communion and responsibility for the human person”, declare the secretaries in a communiqué issued on 1st July. “In Europe – they point out – an opening to and interest in the religious dimension is growing” and “many young people are seeking the way to overcome a disappointing materialism and rediscover the reality of transcendence” in the context of “a growing religious pluralism” that “creates a kind of ‘contest’ between religions and truths. In particular the competition today is with Islam”. In the meantime “wherever reference to the truth of the Christian faith is lacking, the tendency to a certain liquefaction of faith itself is affirmed, and faith and morality are constructed in private life through personal representations and emotions”. This requires “caution – warns the CCEE -, because situations of fragmentation and weakness of truth are an easy prey for totalitarian powers”. Widening the horizon of rationality. “The Church too is often seen in a reductive way”; it is found interesting “only due to its commitment to solidarity and to the environment”. At the same time, we are witnessing “the growth of an aggressive humanist atheism which, even if it belongs to a minority, has a high visibility in the media and in public life”. As for the Christians of Eastern Europe, “during the period of Communism they looked with hope to the West”, but “soon had to acknowledge that things were different, and still today have to expend a lot of time on the question of the return of Church properties and the regularization of relations between Church and State”. Yet, according to the secretaries, there is scope in Europe “for a serious proposition of and dialogue on faith. There’s yearning for a light” able to “widen the horizon of rationality, to extend it beyond mere scientism and to generate culture”. Various experiences “show that it is possible to practice Christianity even in a secularised society. The imminent Word Youth Day in Australia and the numerous youth meetings that are due to be held in various European countries in tandem with the event in Sydney, are a sign of this possibility”. Intensifying the “network of the common good”. In an ever smaller and more global world” the “problems of Europe include the emergence of China and India, climate change, energy sources, hunger, terrorism and the migration of peoples”, cultural changes and the “ethical questions linked to life and the human person”. These are major questions to which “a significant response” will only be permitted by “the strengthening of networking and communion between the Bishops’ Conferences, the bishops and the Christian communities of Europe”. “This – emphasize the secretaries – is what the service of the CCEE means. Intensifying the ‘network of the common good’ is also important to contribute to the process of unification, peace and stability in Europe”. Europe “needs to rediscover the road” because its institutions “seem too remote from real people, as was also demonstrated by the Irish rejection of the Treaty of Lisbon”. “A network of experts of the Bishops’ Conferences – concludes the communiqué – can help tackle ethical questions” such as “euthanasia, palliative treatment, stem cell research and abortion”.Expressions of thanks to Mgr. Aldo Giordano. The meeting of general secretaries of the CCEE was also an occasion to thank Monsignor Aldo Giordano for his 13 years’ service as general secretary of the CCEE; he has now been appointed permanent observer of the Holy See to the Council of Europe. The 2009 meeting will be held at Lviv, in Ukraine, from 9 to 13 July.