A centenary and a vigil ” “

One hundred years have gone by. Every single European country still bears the scars of the war described by Benedict XVI as a “useless massacre”. The conflict that broke out in 1914 caused the death of over 16 million people – of which 6 million civilians – in the years 1915-1918, not to mention those wounded in their flesh and souls, along with the profound rift within the cultural, social and economic fabric of Italy and of Europe as a whole.Yet memory continues to thrive, and along with the graves, monuments to the fallen, huge and impressive military charnel grounds, there are also history books in all European countries. Reading a few of those books is enough to realize the amount of pain and death that tore national boundaries and flooded the continent. After reading those pages we come to realize that European populations were compelled to mutually attack one another while they were asking to grow in prosperity and peace.But few traces of that Europe of suffering are to be found in the pages of history books.A narrative void, which neglects the indescribable wounds of European populations, contributed to sparking off other upsetting tragedies.The commemorations marking the centenary of the European conflict, whose escalation triggered the First World War, have dutifully begun.Memory knocks on the doors of conscience also through memory.Its recovery implies the need to recall the strong cries – stronger than the uproar of weapons – denouncing the scourge of war and imploring the establishment of peace in those dark years.Those were the firm statements by the Pontiffs, heard since 1914, which today denounce other world conflicts.From Benedict XV to Pius XI, from Pius XII to John XXIII, from Paul VI to John Paul I, from John Paul II to Benedict XVI. And today by Pope Francis.Memory lingers on from the past but it is immediately projected in the present times and into the future, when we happen to listen once more to their words, when re-reading the outstanding encyclical, recording the vibrations of their voices, following their gestures, revisiting the sites of their presence in time.Rome’s bombarded peripheries, the retreat in Castel Gandolfo signalling the opposition to the dictator, the UN glass building, the steps of a German Pope in an extermination camp…The appeals launched relentlessly for the past one hundred years have constituted an unsaid – albeit enlightening – contribution to the birth of the new thought that was to lead to the construction of the common European home. It happened because the Pontiff’s appeal has been and continues being the appeal of populations, as well as of humble and poor people.It is not asking too much to hope that in the commemorations for the centenary of the “useless massacre” these voices may once more propose a serious reflection on the future of Europe and a strong thought in view of the European elections to be held at the end of May.The awakening of European conscience is urgently needed: while it is true that war is not conceivable for Europe, the risk of the erosion of the very foundations of human dignity, social justice and solidarity, is a concrete scenario.That risk is fuelled by nationalisms and egoisms which in the past contributed to the formation of an explosive mixture of two terrifying world conflicts fought on European grounds.Once more the Church, sentinel of history, is raising its voice. Pope Francis calls upon Europe to undertake a conscience examination, a recovery of humbleness, a yearning of brotherhood.Christian faithful are the primary recipients of his appeal. Christians are the first ones that are called to add to the applauses consistent answers to the questions raised by a non-European Pope who knows Europe’s vocation.The invitation to vote for a Europe of life, of the human person and of the peoples, conveyed by the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community – COMECE – a few days ago, lies within this perspective.It should be pointed out that in the bishops’ decision to preserve the definition of European Community within their Commission are to be found the echoes of Pope Francis’ call to brotherhood. There is a message of hope to be conveyed, a thought on the future to grow, a commitment of concreteness to share at local level. A beautiful adventure kicks off – one hundred years since the “useless massacre” and a few months before the European elections.