From the Pope a shock therapy for Europe

“God and the State. Europe between secularity and secularism”. It is the central theme addressed by the president of European Bishops’ Conferences in Bratislava, October 3-6, in the framework of the CCEE plenary Assembly. The delicate relationship between the State and the Church is obviously part of the picture, along with the ways in which Christians are called to play central roles in European societies, the reiterated accusations of interference, along with the message that the Church intends to offer to contemporary men and women. We addressed the topic with cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, vice-President of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences. European bishops spoke about the relationship between the Church and the State, secularity and secularism. What is the thrust coming from Italy? “There is a great yearning, a major awareness of our duty as pastors and as a Church to be a living and propositional part of the progress of society, notably for the common good. The Church has something to say of her own that stems from the Gospel but that is not strictly and exclusively evangelical. This means that also reason could welcome an anthropological vision which is that of Christ himself. It’s our duty to pass on this heritage as a contribution to freedom and to the reflections of all institutions, with respect and determination”. What are the grounds of Church-State relations, avoiding the criticism of Church “interference”? “There are three ways. First of all, through joyful Gospel proclamation: announcing Christ to the world means to reveal the face of God and the true face of man. This is the foundation. Another way is to highlight the anthropological, ethical and social consequences of the Gospel message: Christ is God with us. He came to speak to the human person. Faith is related to life: it’s not a pure sentiment that nobody would be interested in. Making this explicit is sometimes perceived as a problem as it is understood as a judgement on regulations yet to be adopted. But it’s not a form of interference, and it’s not intended as one. It merely consists in making Gospel proclamation explicit, which is the Church’s mission, in terms of anthropology, ethics and society. Finally, I wish to underline the importance of formation in the social doctrine of the Church: without a fully assimilated, interiorized and organic vision we will perceive the absence of mature lay people capable of giving their own contribution to the very nerve centres of society, politics and the economy”. The debate on the Cross in schoolrooms is brought up over and over again, as is the debate on Catholics’ commitment in the political realm. Where is the right balance? “The Second Vatican Council reiterated the importance of religious freedom and freedom of conscience. Accordingly, every man and woman has the right to profess their own faith in public. Indeed, faith has a private connotation, but there’s also a public one. To this principle is related conscientious objection, whereby when faced with laws that go against one’s own conscience and fundamental values, the conscience has priority and the State and society must take this into account. Second, we should bear witness of our roots especially in Europe, as they represent our memory. They cannot be annulled, as we would be denied the possibility of extending our glance to the future. How do we know where to go if we don’t know where we came from? Religious symbols are our specific way of conceiving the human person. Thus the question pertains to a broader, not necessarily confessional but rather cultural and social realm, as the religious dimension is part and parcel of the human dimension”.  How can Pope Francis contribute to the Church in Europe? “The richness bestowed by the Holy Father with his own person is under everyone’s eyes to see and it is manifold in his messages, gestures and style. More specifically, I want to say that Pope Francis can be a good medicine for the sophisticated attitude characterising certain aspects of European Culture, that very attitude whereby Europe makes countless distinctions and then risks going astray and becoming self-referential. Pope Francis may be a good, positive shock therapy, which I hope will solicit a greater thrust in terms of meaningfulness and essence”.