The voice of Catholics in Europe

A major event of the Church in Europe to reflect on contemporary and future challenges of the continent also in the light of Christian historical heritage, and to set Europe within the global framework, following that very universalistic vision typical of Catholicism. From this broad perspective were conceived the European Social Days, whose second edition will take place in Madrid September 18-21 next. Teaching of Church doctrine. “The Madrid meeting “aims to be an opportunity to deepen understanding of the relationship between the Christian faith we share and the future of Europe”, said Fr Patrick Daly and Mgr Duarte da Cunha (CCEE), respectively General Secretary of COMECE and CCEE in joint message released June 24 for the presentation of the official website of the Social Days. “The Christian faith and the future of Europe” is the theme of the Days whose first edition was held in Gdansk, Poland, in October 2009. The meeting is jointly promoted by COMECE (the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community with headquarters in Brussels) and CCEE (the Council of European Episcopal Conferences, headquarters in St. Gallen, Switzerland), together with the Archdiocese of Madrid, in collaboration with the Spanish Bishops’ Conference. According to the organizers, the event will be attended by 150 delegates from the Bishops’ Conferences and church bodies throughout the continent who “will gather in Madrid to reflect on the Church’s mission in contemporary society and link the debate on Europe to the Church’s social teaching”. The meeting in the Spanish capital – whose participants include also representatives of Catholic laity from several European Countries, Catholic NGOs, associations actively committed in various areas of public life, and of the media – will be divided into plenary sessions with panel lectures and workshops. For a “sound and just” society. Msgr. Da Cunha and Fr Daly said they hope that “the results of our study and our reflection will help us as Christians to increase our awareness of the values on which a just and healthy society is built, and to commit ourselves in the development of a Christian vision of a better world, based on the ideas and experiences arising during the three days of prayer, work, debate and reflection that will represent important benchmarks – added the COMECE and CCEE Secretaries – in the building of a Europe which reflects Church social teaching and is open to the values of the Kingdom of God in the multicolored mosaic which is contemporary Europe”. The website, www.catholicdays.eu, is available in English and Spanish: it contains information on the program of the initiative, on the speakers, organizers, along with material on the themes addressed during the meeting and several documents on social themes, “fruit of encounters or statements by the two bodies that testify to the extent of the European Churches’ commitment in European societies”. The themes at the centre of the attention. The Days in Madrid will open on September 18 with a Mass officiated by cardinal Peter Erdö, CCEE President, followed by the opening session with speeches by card. Antonio Rouco Varela, Archbishop of Madrid, by cardinal Erdö, card. Reinhard Marx, COMECE president, as well as by José Manuel Durao Barroso, President of the EU Commission. To the dean of the University of St. Damasus in Madrid is entrusted a reflection on the contribution of Christian faith in the definition of the concept of human person that has relations with the political, juridical, economic and social life of Europe. Among the themes to be developed in the following days figure: the crisis as an “opportunity” for a change on the economic and social front; the cultural and theological implications of the crisis; the Christian vision – stemming from Church doctrine – as regards economic activity and employment. Further sessions will be dedicated to migrations, to the future of the young generations, to cross-generational solidarity, to welfare. There will be meetings of: solidarity and charity; value and role of volunteering; fundamental rights; marriage and the family; freedom of education; demographic crisis and family policies; the human life in the technologic era. The Days will end on Septemebr 21 with a Mass celebrated in Madrid’s Cathedral.