It’s no utopia

What is social cohesion in Europe based on today? And, most of all, what is the Church’s role within these dynamics? These questions were raised in the first part of the meeting promoted by the Commission "Caritas in Veritate" of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE) in Cyprus, (3-5 September), in the account by Nike Giurlani, SIR Europe correspondent. "In times of crisis and general insecurity that upsets Europe the Social Doctrine of the Church can provide a crucial contribution, not so much at the level of technical answers but as relates to religious and ethical response, as illustrated by Pope Benedict XVI in his Encyclical Letter ‘Caritas in Veritate’, which our activity draws inspiration from", said Msgr. Giampaolo Crepaldi, Archbishop of Trieste president of the CCEE Commission. Against all individualisms. The theme of social questions is shared also by COMECE (Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community). The ongoing cooperation uniting CCEE and COMECE was reaffirmed by Msgr. Gianni Ambrosio, bishop of Piacenza, one of four vice-presidents of the European body, president of the COMECE Commission on Social issues. In the present situation of crisis that holds Europe in its grips the commitment of the European body is addressed to "the promotion of social cohesion in Europe, firstly with the sound acknowledgement of interdependence that should lead the EU to recover its fundamental unity, since also economic activity, just like any other dimension of human action, is never fulfilled in a moral chasm or on the basis of a set of rules, but only within a given cultural context. These cultural roots ought to be recognised and appreciated". The same concept was reiterated by the Maronite archbishops of Cyprus Msgr. Youssef Soueif, who highlighted the importance of "valuing the common good, fighting against all forms of individualism and egoism". Formation, education and support to citizens are paramount, to these the Church can provide a major contribution, as Msgr. Waldemar Stanislaw Sommertag, councillor of the Apostolic Nunciature in Cyprus, pointed out. "There is the need for a social commitment by the Church, not only through immediate assistance but also through spiritual support, as carried out for years by the Church in Cyprus". This island, underlined Rev. Evencio Herrera, General Vicar of the Latin Patriarchate of Cyprus, is "the living example that in an increasingly multifaceted world at religious, ethic and linguistic level, investing in social cohesion is ever more important". Forming the community of Christian faithful. What is meant by social cohesion, and which answers can the Church provide? These questions were addressed by Msgr. Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin, in his speech titled "From Crisis to Hope", and by Vincenzo Buonomo, Professor at the Pontifical Lateran University and Legal Adviser of the Holy See at the Council of Europe, whose address focused on "The politics of social cohesion in the European Union". Msgr. Diarmuid Martin retraced the highlights of Ireland’s past ten years: the country’s extraordinary growth was followed by the ongoing economic crisis that is straining the population, severely affecting the poor and the youths, whose hopes for the future are thwarted by insecurity and doubts. But Ireland is not the sole to share the current precariousness. "Changes are always hard to face – underlined Msgr. Martin – but the fact that the Church is unable to provide magical solutions doesn’t mean that she is powerless". The Social Doctrine of the Church shouldn’t be viewed as "a political platform that must or should enter the details of economic politics. Each Christian enjoys legitimate autonomy and has the responsibility and the duty to adopt the fundamental principles of the Social Doctrine to address daily societal commitments". The Archbishop of Dublin thus pointed out that "national Commissions for justice and peace, the ‘Caritas in Veritate’ Commission for social issues, should assume a greater role in providing programs for the formation of the Christian community". Educating to charity and justice, in the family and at school: only in this way will it be possible to guide the next generations towards a new concept of society based on ‘free bestowal’".The roots of integration. Solidarity is understood as the win-win solution also in the political-institutional presentation by Vincenzo Buonomo, who said: "Social cohesion involves the entire EU, not only the less developed regions. It involves integration as a whole, encompassing also the human dimension, described as ‘civis europaeus’". However, this means that "true social cohesion must include the idea of a social citizenship enrooted within individual experience, and within territorial, ethnic, religious, linguistic traditions that Europe abounds with, for the implementation of subsidiarity, valuing the coexistence of diversities, in the framework of the ‘European citizenship’ provided for in EU Treaties". In order to achieve this goal a specific legislative framework is needed, "based on the principle of solidarity. This is no utopia: it’s a way of returning to the roots of integration as stated in the Schuman Declaration: ‘Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity’".