The disappointment of the South ” “

Reflecting on the Christian contribution to European unity today leads to the acknowledgement of the distance separating us more and more from the “dream” that animated the Christian politicians who with other statesmen placed the cornerstone of the European building with the encouragement of the popes.We are witnessing the increasing protagonism of EU representatives with great disappointment in terms of the affirmation, at international level, of ideological principles that oppose those very Christian values that inspired the best part of European culture. These are: the affirmation of so-called “reproductive and sexual rights” (which include the “right to abortion”) against the value of human life; the affirmation of gender ideology, which opposes the richness of sexual duality and complementariness.Moreover, divisions separating European countries are determined by different interests and by a narrow understanding of those interests at national level, limited to the present time and lacking a vision of European common good, i.e. individual and communal wellbeing, leading to greater unity and cohesion.The weakening of the ideal of European unity is especially felt in the countries of southern Europe like Portugal, which is struggling with the consequences of the bailout plan by EU institutions, with heavy repercussions in terms of unemployment and impoverishment of the population. What is (or perhaps will be) a form of support is in no way felt as such by the population majority.In the first years following EU adhesion the Portuguese population viewed it as a source of aid for development, allocated through cohesion funds, which was beneficial to the Country and strengthened the feeling of belonging to a true Community. But now, especially after having adopted the single currency, Portuguese citizens view the EU as the source of orders dictated by the interests of rich Countries. This perception overlooks the responsibility of Portuguese governments (and to a certain extent also that of its citizens), who failed to take seriously the requirements that adhesion to the single currency entail, namely financial discipline and increase in productivity.In this context of serious crisis many would have expected greater solidarity on the part of the European Union. It must also be acknowledged that this situation is not the results of a natural disaster. There have been mistakes in terms of economic politics. And now we are paying the dues. On the one side, also European institutions and the governments of rich countries share the responsibility of those mistakes, whose consequences grew worse with the outbreak of the international financial crisis, which has various causes. Moreover, the question is that the dues are not being paid by those who made mistakes but by those who were not responsible for the decisions that were taken. It is therefore understandable why these peoples are no longer feeling a sense of belonging to a European community. This is true today like never before.In this context what will be Christians’ contribution to the establishment of European unity?Such contribution is the fruit of a vision of the European common good that will trigger the establishment of a true community of peoples who sympathize with the suffering and the aspirations of other peoples, ensuring the acknowledgement that the growth of a given population always depends on the growth of another population.The affective and warm dimension that marks true community life is typical of south-European cultures. The fact that the communitarian spirit, based on freely bestowed love, may also, in other ways, (as highlighted in Caritas in Veritate) penetrate economic life, giving a human face to market economy, is the challenge Europe is called to face. It is a challenge to which Christians must respond with the culture of solidarity and with a special human sensitivity, typical of the peoples of southern Europe, that stem from Christianity.European sense of unity and solidarity is not created by decree. The possibility that Europe may return to give special significance to the value of life and of the family depends on the cultural changes which are not created through a decree. These challenges highlight the urgent need of a new evangelization that begins with the testimony of the daily life of Christians in Europe.