A working plan

“True solidarity means assuming responsibility”, claimed Msgr. Adrianus van Luyn, bishop of Rotterdam and President of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE), in the opening address of the Autumn Plenary Assembly of the organism, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The meeting is titled “Populism in Europe” (ongoing until November 26). Three “concerns”. The financial crisis in Europe, its consequences in terms of social solidarity, and the threat of a democratic crisis in Europe – these three ‘worrying trends’, already outlined by the President of the European Council Herman van Rompuy a few days ago, are the themes of Msgr. van Luyn’s report. Having recalled the figure of his predecessor Msgr. Joseph Homeyer, President of COMECE from 1993 to 2006, who passed away March 30, Msgr. van Luyn focused on the speech on Europe and on the mission of the Church in the continent, delivered by Benedict XVI in Santiago a few weeks ago, and on the address delivered a few days ago by the President of the European Council Herman von Rompuy in which he drew a balance of his first year of mandate, and outlined the priorities for the future. The COMECE President said he shares the concerns expressed by Mr. van Rompuy, that were addressed in the reflections of the COMECE Secretariat over the past months, and which constitute the object of a working paper due to be discussed in the next few days.Economic and financial crisis. After having briefly addressed the financial crisis in Greece past spring, Msgr. Van Luyn recalled that December’s European Council “will attempt minor changes” to the Treaty of Lisbon by “adapting Article 122 of the Treaty on European Union performance, providing for financial support by the EU in exceptional circumstances”. The COMECE president also delved into the crisis in Ireland and the “potentially tragic” consequences of the austerity measures necessary to obtain European loans. Whilst highlighting the importance of an “economic governance of the European Union marked by ambitious financial and budget policy competences”, Msgr. van Luyn remarked, “The aim and purpose of such governance could be summed up in the assertion that real solidarity means assuming responsibility”. He went on to announce that the Plenary will discuss the idea of drafting a COMECE document on Social Market Economy under the guidance of its vice-president Card. Reinhard Marx. “Loss” of solidarity and Christians’ persecution. The recent debate on future EU funding, “which prevented the EU budget for 2011 from being signed” is a “sign” of “decreasing solidarity”. “Our societies – he pointed out – have grown more rigid and in some cases less tolerant”. Two examples. First the deportation of hundreds of Roma from France to Romania last summer for supposed “internal security” reasons, followed by the “hot” debate between the European Commission and President Sarkozy, and by the stands of the Romanian and French Bishops’ Conferences as well as those of the Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Migrants Msgr. Antonio Marchetto. “”The way we handle the Roma issue is not just a matter for individual Member States”, explained van Luyn. “Rather, it affects Europe as a whole” for “the Roma are citizens of this Union, with the same rights and duties” of others. Recalling that 42 Catholics were murdered and 70 injured in Baghdad over the last few weeks, the COMECE President said this “is the lamentable zenith of a series of similar incidents in Iraq over the last few years, although the religiously-motivated persecution of Christians is not limited” to that country and represents 70% of such persecutions in the world. He thus underlined the hearing at the European Parliament on 5 October on the persecution of Christians worldwide, the draft Declaration due to be ratified by MEPs, and the seminar of October 11 on religious freedom in the European neighbourhood policy and in the new European diplomatic service, in which COMECE took part and whose Secretariat, said Msgr. Luyn, “has asked the European Commission to introduce religious freedom as an integrating part” of the European External Action Service. Populism and anti-politics. According to COMECE president, also the surging success of “populist parties and politicians” is reason for concern. Indeed, it is an “extremely complex phenomenon” that will be addressed during the plenary to reflect “on the contribution that we are called to give as a Church”. Finally, the COMECE president recalled Benedict XVI’s appeal for a “Europe open to the transcendent and to fraternity”, in Santiago di Compostela. “Resisting the influence of populism and of other ideologies and swimming upstream”. “To this”, concludes van Luyn we are called by the Gospel today as it was in the past”, in the name of “the fundamental principles of the inviolable dignity of the human person and for the good of humanity”.