Thirty years with Europe

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of COMECE (The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community – www.comece.eu), made up of bishops delegated by the Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union with a permanent Secretariat in Brussels, the Autumn Plenary (November 24 – 26) will promote an evening-debate with Jacques Delors, EU Commission president from 1985 to 1994, and Msgr. Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization. The meeting is titled “Shaping the EU of tomorrow”. COMECE was set up by a college of bishops, with the assent of the Holy See, on March 3 1980 and was preceded by the European Catholic Pastoral Information Service (SIPECA, 1976-1980) whose task was to inform the bishops’ Conferences on the progress of the Community. Discussions during the 1970s about creating an instrument of liaison between the Bishops’ Conferences and the European Community led to the decision, on the eve of the first direct elections to the European Parliament in 1979, to establish COMECE. Reflection and information. Owing to the cooperation of the Apostolic Nuncio and to the experience of pioneering Catholic organizations in Brussels such as OCIPE (the Jesuit European information Office), the COMECE Secretariat launched a pastoral reflection on European questions and established relations with EU Parliament and Commission. The scope of its commitment became evident in the 1990s, on the eve of the major changes in the international realm. The then president of the EU Commission Jacques Delors, had the intuition of inviting the Churches to participate in Community debates. Ongoing dialogue between the competent religious bodies and EU institutions was thus initiated. In this framework, growing dynamism marked COMECE’s contributions. Under the thrust of Msgr. Joseph Homeyer, COMECE President from 1993 to 2006, and of Msg. Noel Treanor, Secretary General from 1993 to 2008, the body underwent major transformations in its structure and approach, stepping up its commitment for reflection and information with the new publication Europe-Infos, and developing not only pastoral but also juridical expertise in different fields which include institutional and legislative affairs; economic and social policies; migration and asylum; research and bioethics; fundamental rights; intercultural-interreligious dialogue; education, culture and media; sustainable development. Dialogue and EU-Church cooperation. Today COMECE continues to closely follow EU political and legislative processes, reporting back to the Catholic Church; it entertains ongoing dialogue with EU institutions – Commission, Council and parliament – with annual meetings attended by religious dignitaries; it promotes debates, dialogue seminars and international conferences. It also takes part in consultations called by the European Commission. Furthermore, COMECE operates in conjunction with other Church bodies so as to promote the establishment of a Europe of peace, marked by solidarity, and open to the world. It promotes reflection on the Community’s integration process on the basis of Church Social Doctrine, with publications of statements and surveys on major topical issues (the family, employment, the environment, culture, combating poverty, promoting subsidiarity, etc). From the Fundamental Rights Charter to the Lisbon Treaty, COMECE has been actively involved in all areas and continues its commitment for sound cooperation between Churches and national States, guaranteed by the introduction of the principle of subsidiarity in EU documents and the acknowledgement of the Churches’ contribution to the European project. Indeed, with reference to declaration n. 11 of the Amsterdam Treaty, art. 17 of the Lisbon Treaty acknowledges the Churches’ and religions’ positive and fundamental contribution to society. In October 8-11 2009 COMECE promoted the first Catholic Social Days for Europe in Gdansk titled “Solidarity: a European challenge”. The structure. COMECE, with permanent Secretariat in Brussels, is funded by the EU Bishops’ Conferences. It is chaired by Msgr. Adrianus Van Luyn, bishop of Rotterdam (The Netherlands). Msgr. Reihard Marx, German, archbishop of Munich and Freising, elevated to the cardinalship at the Concistory of November 20, and Msgr. Piotr Jarecki, Polish, auxiliary bishop of Warsaw, serve as vice-presidents. Delegated bishops from the bishops Conferences of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, England and Wales, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, Scandinavia, Scotland, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, and from the archdiocese of Luxembourg are members of COMECE. Delegated Bishops from Croatia and Switzerland participate in the plenary meetings as observers.