Choosing the culture of “us” ” “

To say “a word of closeness” that may help the growth of the “good and silent forest” that is “simple and humble faith”, so that it “may make more noise than trees falling”. It is the choice of Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, who in the opening address to the Permanent Council of the Italian bishops, held January 27, used the image of a “golden thread, strong and ductile together, able to adapt without breaking”, to picture the joy of the Gospel, expressing the wish of Italian bishops to be “fellow travelers”, and not “sullen censors”, of contemporary men and women, believer and non-believers alike. The items on the agenda. The revision of the Statute of the Episcopal Conference (CEI), the Synod on the family, the great event of 10 May for schools in St. Peter’s Square in Rome with the Pope – to which are invited “all those who, regardless of their creed, are convinced of the issues at stake for young people, families and society “: these are the themes that will be addressed by the CEI Assembly during the week. “God has a place”, the Church reiterates to the “modern world” with “high and gentle” tones. The highlight is on the culture of “us” which “overturns” relationships – of social, economic, political nature, among the nations – and serves as an antidote to “a culture that resembles a ghost bubble, with empty myths, glittering appearances, promising lies”. It’s that very “we” that inspires the “culture of encounter and dialogue, that prompts mutual listening in order to understand each other without any pretension”. It’s the “we” that helps us counter the image of Italy as a “muddy swamp”, finding the courage to become the “voice of those without jobs” and overcome the temptation to “approve everything and everyone”. CEI Statute Revision. 14 years after its formulation, card. Bagnasco said in his opening speech, the Italian bishops will review the CEI Statute, “in the light of current historical circumstances, as a sign of increasing participation”, on the request of the Pope, and after having reaped the fruits of the reflections of all sixteen regional Bishops’ Conferences. During the Permanent Council, the bishops shall examine the “rich material received” with a view to “careful and fruitful” work. “Closeness”, education. Closeness and culture of “us”: these are the two key words of the prolusion, with a proposal to “seriously reconsider the organic forms of civil service, that they may be stages of life and traineeships of ‘us’ “. The ground is the “that truly humanistic anthropological perspective whereby – even for those who do not believe – the human person not only lives of relations but is her/himself relation”. In Italy, Bagnasco said, persists a “serious discrimination which on the one hand recognizes parents’ freedom of education, but on the other denies it in practice, forcing them to face additional financial burdens”. His Eminence pointed out that “evangelization and education” are part of the Church’s DNA and that “the task of educating today is a key mission”, as Pope Francis said. The Catholic schools that shut down each year “constitute a further burden on national budgets, an irreparable impoverishment of society and culture, stripping families of a necessary service”. And precisely “to support the crucial importance of the entire school system, of education and freedom of education”, the Italian bishops have promoted “a public event” for May 10 in St. Peter’s Square to which Pope Francis “gave not only his approval, but also assured his personal presence”. The tragedy of unemployment. Cardinal Bagnasco called on “everyone” to “react to an exasperated and interested vision aimed at increasing the general confusion, which prompts us to not to trust anybody anymore”. “To this design, that lacerates, discourages, and tears apart, and thus that is demonic, we should not give in”, he added launching a strong appeal “to ensure that the voices of those without work, which rise from every part of the country, are met by concrete action in every area of responsibility”. “The debate on the reform of the State is certainly necessary”, but it should not go “to the detriment of people’s open wounds, that is, the tragedy of unemployment”. Among the urgent needs to be addressed figures also “the intolerable situation of prisons”. Support to parenthood and to the family. “Society needs work and the family”: with these words the Cardinal concluded his prolusion, mentioning the “major, in-depth” consultation carried out by the Italian Church with a view to the next Synod on the family, in the hope that the latter may be “supported by more effective and determined policies also in the realms of childbirth, and defended by attempts to undermine it, promoted on the media and in cultural realms, void of ideological discriminations”.