How to emerge from crisis?

The “constitutional” crisis triggered by Ireland’s referendum in June, the Russia-Georgia conflict, “the dramatic financial crisis” whose economic, social and political repercussions “can be barely imagined”: these, declared in November 12 in Brussels Msgr. Adrianus Van Luyn, President of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) in his opening remarks to the autumn Plenary Assembly, are the serious and unpredictable events that took place since past Spring’s meeting of the European Bishops. “Europe’s current challenges” is the topic of the plenary that ends today with a final press conference (at 2:00 p.m.) held by Msgr. Van Luyn, by bishops Piotr Jarecki and Diarmuid Martin, vice-presidents, and for the first time by secretary general father Piotr Mazurkiewicz. The items on the agenda include: the report on climate change and Christian lifestyle; the protection of Sunday in the Working Time Directive; the Lisbon Treaty; the financial crisis; Christian refugees in the world, EU partnership with Russia after the Georgian crisis. Faith crisis. COMECE’s president centered his speech on the financial crisis. This, he said, is a crisis in faith: “how can we recover our faith in the foundations of the social and economic system that have been so seriously shattered?”. Msgr. Luyn called for “better rules and norms” and for “greater commitment at European and International level in order to prevent a further deterioration of world-linked financial systems”. Probing into the items tackled in the meeting of heads of government and State in view of next week-end’s G20 summit in New York – tax havens cuts, hedge fund regulation, modernization of the International Monetary Fund and of the World Bank – Msgr. Van Luyn urged to move on: “what’s being questioned extends far beyond our social models”, he claimed.A distorted order of values. According to COMECE President, “the deepest causes of the financial crisis are determined by a misleading system of values”. In other words, “the financial crisis uncovered a spiritual crisis and a distorted order of values. Money is the compass; but once we reached the North Pole, we realized that the needle was running at an ever-faster pace”. Today, “the quest for profit has gained priority over the significance and value of man’s work”. “Mankind and the planet we live on are viewed in a functional perspective”. To the three “P”s (person, profit, planet) should be added the P of “pneuma”, a Greek term that expresses “the relational and spiritual dimension whereby man is considered in his entirety”, declared Msgr. Luyn. A religious question. “Knowing why” today men “act against righteous knowledge and judgement” and “set for themselves the goal of material wealth, even though they know it will not give them an authentic life”, is, according to Msgr. Van Luyn, “a religious question” which “the forthcoming G20” cannot provide the answer to since its bearing “extends far beyond the realm of politics”. “But we need answers, and we expect them especially from those whom the media define ‘religious authorities’. Yes – he pointed out – I am referring to all of us bishops”. “As a Church, as bishops and as Christians we must be more zealous and creative in making faith more accessible. I am grateful for the thrust of the recent synod encouraging the best use of the new media channels and for the development of new training programs for the youth”. A “consistent life-example” is needed. This is where “our weaknesses become more evident”. “Not only bank accounts are in the red”. “While the world is facing a severe economic and social crisis, also our religious balance is escaping our control”. The reliable transmission of faith. Thus, the financial crisis cannot represent “the occasion to say ‘I told you…'”, rather it should lead us to ask ourselves “why today there are very few people who view the Christian message of mutual sharing and sober lifestyle as the key to a good and happy life”. “What can we do to transmit our faith in a more comprehensible manner and to live it in a more credible way?”. This, according to the bishop, “is the question we ought to bear in mind in the debates of the forthcoming days”. The Plenary Assembly will be held in COMECE’s new headquarters at Square de Meeûs 19. Msgr. Van Luyn conveyed his appreciation of “the Bishops’ Conferences, which enabled us to have a home for European Bishops in Brussels”, that will be inaugurated in March 2009.