Fuelling hope

No to military intervention in Libya, no to European policies on immigration dictated exclusively by “electoral reasons”, no to anything that may foment fear and mistrust towards the Muslim community: the bishops of France, Spain and the Maghreb have entered the field with these three clear-cut positions at a meeting in Tunis on 2-4 May. Aimed at “reviewing the situation as regards the acceptance of migrants and Christian-Islamic dialogue in their respective ecclesial communities”, the meeting of the “mixed Commission” of the European and Maghrebi bishops was held in the Tunisian capital and attended by 13 bishops from Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Libya, France and Spain. “Arab Spring”. The bishops – says a press release issued at the end of the meeting – exchanged their experiences with regard to the “important demands” that are emerging in the countries of the Maghreb and in other Arab countries and that regard “human dignity, freedom, justice and the aspiration to real democracy”. With regard to the military intervention in Libya, the bishops recall “the interventions of Pope Benedict XVI and Mgr. Giovanni Martinelli, Vicar Apostolic of Tripoli” and they too indicate “the priority of political dialogue” because – says the press release – “no one can have control over armed interventions which also strike innocent victims”. The “crucial” question of migration. With regard to the “crucial” question of migration, the bishops write: “Europe is trying to implement a drastic protection that is not always compatible with justice and often becomes a source of exclusion and discrimination. The Maghreb is a transit zone for migrants who come from sub-Saharan Africa. The Churches are witnesses of the suffering that these men and women have to undergo, on leaving their country, and are making considerable efforts to show solidarity with them and to accompany them. These people are worthy in their poverty, due to the human and spiritual strength that impels them to continue in a migration that unfortunately is often transformed into a Calvary. Lending an ear to their needs helps to change attitudes to them; it helps us to be more demanding in promoting justice and solidarity in relation to these foreign brothers and sisters who are knocking at our door”. The bishops warn Europe against a reaction: “that of numerous politicians who – they write – wish to ensure security and protection for their citizens, but unfortunately often do so for electoral reasons”. From Tunis, the bishops indicate the attitude of “disciples of the Gospel who, at the risk of being branded as ingenuous, wish first and foremost to serve their fellowmen and defend them in their dignity, even if they are clandestine and without residence permits”. In their communiqué the bishops make an appeal: they ask that “the money used to protect the frontiers” be allocated instead to provide aid in the countries from whence migrants start out, so that these populations “no longer find themselves in conditions such as to force them to leave even at the cost of their lives”.Christian-Islamic dialogue. Lastly the dialogue between Christians and Muslims: in their communiqué the bishops express “concern in seeing the growth of resistance due to mutual fear and mistrust in all the countries with a Christian or Muslim majority”. And they urge ecclesial communities to “live together amicably in daily life”. The press release ends by emphasizing “the fruitfulness” and “the necessity” of promoting regular meetings of this kind between “the Churches of the two shores of the Mediterranean because they fuel hope”. 10th anniversary of the Charta OecumenicTo celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Charta Oecumenica signed in Strasbourg on 22 April 2001, the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE) and the Conference of European Churches (CEC) have decided to collaborate in organising an ecumenical seminar which will take place on 9 May at the University of Fribourg (Switzerland) organised by the Institute of Ecumenical Studies in collaboration with the Christian Churches in Switzerland Community of work. Participants at the meeting will include the two General Secretaries of CCEE and CEC, Fr Duarte da Cunha and Revd Prof. Viorel Ionita. “The Charta Oecumenica has no dogmatic-magisterial character, nor is it legally binding under church law”, reads a joint statement issued today by CCEE/CEC, and “its realisation is left to the free reception by Christians in Europe”. “Nevertheless, CCEE and CEC recognise in this document a step and an important aid for the Churches to achieve together that call to unity which is at the same time an obligation for all Christians and a gift of God to be requested incessantly”. The text has already been translated into more than thirty languages. As for its penetration “into the European church and social institutional fabric”, the Churches remarked that the text is quoted in documents by lay institutions. Indeed, even the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has recently quoted it.