“Never in the name of God”

These days following the shock are days of mourning for all the countries and peoples of Scandinavia, devastated by the homicidal fury of the terrorist who struck Oslo and Norway last Friday. These are also days of questioning and investigation to understand whether Anders Behring Breivik had acted alone or with the help of accomplices. The Norwegian police are now planning to invoke a recent provision of the penal code that refers to “crimes against humanity”, which would allow a punishment of up to 30 years’ prison, since the maximum prison sentence for those accused of “terrorist activity” is 21 years. In a phone interview with SIR Europe, the apostolic nuncio to Sweden, Mgr. Emil Paul Tscherrig, said: “people are still shocked and the police continue to investigate because things are still unclear”.In his memoirs, Breivik refers to a Christian fundamentalism. What does it mean? “This has no root at all in Christianity. We cannot say we belong to a religion and then justify such a blind and senseless violence. This is what the Popes of all ages, and particularly John Paul II and Benedict XVI, have also said referring to Islam and Christianity: religious fundamentalism can never be justified. This is a claim that is used to justify one’s extremism or even the failure of one’s personal life or the lack of future perspectives”.We are reminded of the words of John Paul II and Benedict XVI, “never in the name of God”.“Yes, and I also believe the attacker’s statements will not be taken seriously, neither here nor elsewhere”.Is there any risk that the attacker’s ideas could get into other people’s minds? “No, I don’t think so because what happened is so illogic, killing people in the name of an idea, or better, of an aberrant ideology, that even the most radical person will understand that this is not the way to solve problems”.How do you see the future of Norway and Scandinavia?“There are many things we do not understand, many things we do not know. This was certainly a terrible shock and it will take time for people to get back to their normal lives. This was a real earthquake for the entire society”. People spoke of a new “11 September”. Is it really the case? “I can see some similarities, but in any case tragedies are always different and cannot be compared. Behind them, there are always individuals, and we do not quite understand the reasons behind their actions: they only say they acted to save the nation. But how is it possible to save a country by murdering people?”. What is the role that religious leaders who are meeting in Assisi in October can play? “The role the Popes have also highlighted: that is, to reaffirm that we cannot make war and use violence in the name of God. This is a clear message that is always reiterated by the Church, and I believe that all religions today are called to be a sign of union for humanity, of union of the human race. In other words, they are called to be the contrary of what we have seen in these days. No violence and no division. Christ Himself, through His death on the Cross, has actually expressed His rejection of every form of violence, and this is the profound meaning of Christianity, this is the message that the Popes, in every catechism, in every speech, have always conveyed. This should be the foundation for all believers, men and women: those who believe cannot become instruments of violence and terror”. What mission for the Catholic Church in Scandinavia?“The Catholic Church in these countries is a small minority and we too are actually part of this group of immigrants who are indirectly targeted by these accusations. Nevertheless, the Catholic Church herself, in these countries, shows that people of different nationalities, languages, origins and cultures can live together in peace, because communion of faith in Christ overcomes all differences and breaks down all barriers. For us, Catholics, this has always been a significant aspect of our mission: to build bridges among people. Pope John Paul II himself, during his trip to Sweden in 1989, said that there the universal Church is truly “in fieri”, and that Catholics in these countries are a true expression of the universality and Catholicity of the Church”.