Europe, the voice of the faithful ” “

Europe as a “community of values”, founded on the pillars of solidarity and subsidiarity, that respects national differences, as well as the stories and the cultures of every Country”. A Europe that is not only a single market but draws inspiration from social market economy. A Europe that “offers new opportunities to young people” in the field of training and employment: Cardinal Reinhard Marx, president of COMECE, (Commission of Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community), presenting the document for the plenary ahead of the May elections, shared his interpretation of the “European project”, which he appears to firmly support. At the service of citizens. In a meeting with journalists at the end of the COMECE plenary (Brussels, 19-21 March), Card. Marx highlighted the role that Christians are called to play for a stronger, more efficient European Union, at the service of the citizens, open to the world and to peace-building. But for the cardinal there is a set of firm points. The crisis that hit the “common home” has contributed to the distancing of citizens from the EU. Thus “a more in-depth debate” on the future of the EU is needed, which Christians cannot evade. That’s why the COMECE statement for the May 22-25 vote stressed a range of particularly delicate aspects in the field of political integration, such as migration and asylum, environmental protection, religious freedom, all “questions with an ethical connotation”. Other issues at national level must start with the “respect for life, bioethics, the family, relations between States and between the States and the Churches”, explained the archbishop of Munich-Freising. What is the lesson of Ukraine? Card. Marx delved into themes included in the agenda of the European Council (summit of the EU 28 Heads of Government and State), held in Brussels a few days ago. In his opening address at the COMECE assembly His Eminence highlighted the unfolding of events in Ukraine, with “the Russian invasion of Crimea in blatant violation of international law”. Marx warned on the danger of “a resurgence of the Cold War”, he then declared that the European proclivity expressed by the protesters in Maidan must “encourage the churches and peoples living in the EU” to further reflection. Broad reference, in the introduction to the works, was made to the Magisterium of Pope Francis and to “Evangelii Gaudium”, which highlight “an exhortation and a permanent invitation to boost the efforts aimed at contributing to a Europe of justice”, and in particular, “to the EU’s participation in the establishment of a solidarity-based world order”. Christian foundations. Following the same line of interpretation, Msgr. Gianni Ambrosio, bishop of Piacenza-Bobbio, a COMECE vice-President, confirmed to SIR Europe that “the declaration ahead of the elections should be understood as an encouragement to vote, an invitation to have faith in this European Union, despite its limits. In fact, we cannot forget that the European project stemmed from a yearning for peace, which Catholic political figures have invested in”. Mons. Ambrosio added: “the Pontiffs and the Holy See, the Church as a whole, have given their support to this challenge. It is necessary to avoid a reductive interpretation of the EU, focused on mere economic aspects. We must return to give Europe a soul, as Pope John Paul II had warned in his exhortation “Ecclesia in Europa”, to “that very Europe – the bishop added – based on the major values that stem from Christianity” and from Christian universalism. Mons. Ambrosio acknowledged the “difficulties experienced by this project” threatened by “populisms and nationalisms that propose a negative vision of Europe”. Hence the appeal that world faithful may engage in a political process “based on solidarity, on the sense of responsibility, on peace, acting as global players” at the service of development, rights and democracy.