A special responsibility

Jean-Dominique Durand, history scholar, professor at the University of Lyon, delivered the closing speech of the symposium "Christian crisis in Europe?" promoted by the Catholic academy in France, held November 16-17 at the Collége des Bernardins in Paris. Winning over pessimism and egoism. "After the Second World War, Catholics, Christian democrats in particular – the historian said –have acted as the thinkers and as the originators of a radically new Europe, of a unit of peace, founded on the free adhesion of States to a new community firmly anchored within democratic principles". "Thanks also to Benedict XV, Pius XI and Pius XII, a generation of Catholics – he added –acknowledged the impact of the Gospel on the relations between peoples, many of whom thus developed their commitment for a united Europe". The outcomes of that work and of that thought are under everyone’s eyes to see but today "political Europe strives to be accomplished. Despite unity, as seen with the euro currency, we failed to create a European conscience. Owing to such fragility the economic dimension prevails and while economy can unite it can also rapidly divide when the interests at stake differ". To this must be added "national egoisms, that are far from having disappeared". In a situation whereby "Europeanism motivates no more, institutions are marked by self-closure, and the EU is lacking a direction", the speaker said, it should be acknowledged that "the crisis is caused by a Christian crisis: Catholics are drifting away from Europe, they nurture surging doubts and euroscepticism prevails more than ever before. The picture has unfortunately worsened since "Christian democratic thought has waned, often neglecting the social doctrine of the Church" while "the accomplishment of social market economy has given way to liberal mirage". This confirms that today "Christians find it hard to continue their commitment for the European project". But pessimism does not respond to the crisis, thus it is necessary "to be brave enough to face difficulties and respond to urgencies", said Jean-Dominique Durand.Commitment is the first answer. The first answer is "commitment", Msgr. Diamuid Martin, archbishop of Dublin, told the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences gathered in Cyprus September 2 2012. The Church, continued the prelate, is a driving force and "Christians have a special responsibility for the future of Europe", especially since they are the bearers of a vision of the world and more concretely, of a vision of society. The COMECE bishops referred to the document of October 27 2011 on the importance of the social doctrine of the Church, notably, on social market economy, a typically democratic concept, conceived in Germany by Ludwig Erhard in the 1950s, meant as an alternative to the economic-utilitarian system, to the idolatry of mammon". "It has nothing to do with nostalgia. In fact, it’s a matter of showing that an alternative way to liberalism is possible". Thus we must never despair of Europe, even though Christians feel under attack, owing to events linked to the Christian roots, to the display of the crucifix in Italy, to the calendar of religious holidays, to legislative frameworks regarding the family, life…".The goodness and the beauty of Christian values. The "many accomplishments of recent decades show that united Europe is based on the goodness and the beauty of Christian values that include peace, reconciliation, democracy, solidarity, human rights". Furthermore, Durand said, we must not forget that "Europe is ‘more than a euro’, as recently affirmed by Msgr. Gianni Ambrosio, bishop, vice-president of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE). This also means that we must not expect everything from institutions and law. Conversely, we should rehabilitate culture, also since expecting the economy, institutions and law to provide all the answers is the sign of a crisis in Christian memory, as recalled by John Paul II on October 5 1982 in St. Jacques Compostella. The Holy Father reiterated that the crisis of the European man is the crisis of the Christian man. The crisis in European culture is the crisis in Christian culture. It is a question of building a Europe of the spirit that Cardinal Martini hoped for".