Neither privileges, nor power” “

The plenary Assembly of French bishops opened in Lourdes on Sunday, 3 November. The Assembly, which will end on Saturday 9 November, is being attended by 150 bishops including emeritus bishops (13), representatives of foreign Episcopal Conferences (16) and the nuncio apostolic. Also taking part in the proceedings are the secretaries of the national services, religious superiors and representatives of other Christian confessions. Catechesis, marriage and relations between Church and French society: these are the questions on which the French episcopate is focusing its attention at the assembly. May churches and religions not be sidelined. The French Church is once again asking the government authorities to recognize the social dimension that religions play both in France and in Europe. The appeal was made, on behalf of the French Church, by Archbishop Jean-Pierre Ricard of Bordeaux, president of the French Episcopal Conference, on opening the Assembly. In view of the centenary of the law on the separation between Church and State to be celebrated in 2005, Archbishop Ricard stressed that religions do not want “to be relegated to the pure domain of private opinions”: they have – he said – “a social dimension that must be taken into consideration, a role to play at the side of other families of thought, to make their contribution to the questions posed and the problems faced by our society”. Ricard also wished to reassure the country that the Church “asks neither for privileges nor for power” but simply intends to offer “her assistance”. Precisely by virtue of her service to “the men, women, children and youth of our time”, the Church – Ricard continued – “wishes to participate in the debates that are engaging society; when she intervenes in the case of clandestine immigrants or security on the streets, she does so to take an active part in the construction of a real living community in France”. May Europe too accept the contribution of the churches. Archbishop Ricard then widened his remarks to Europe and said: “I wish that what is happening in France today may have positive repercussions also on the construction of Europe and more particularly on the drafting of the future Constitution. It is to be hoped that Europe will not repudiate its spiritual, religious and humanist legacy, but positively accept the contribution of the churches and religious communities”. “Would it not be appropriate – he asked – for the constitutional Treaty to enshrine the principle that the European Union respects the identity and specific contribution of the Churches and religious communities and conducts a structured dialogue with them?”. At the side of young couples. Another focus of the reflections of the French bishops is the preparation of young couples for marriage. This is a field in which the Church is particularly engaged. “Marriage – said Archbishop Ricard – is one of the most important circumstances offered to the Church to testify her hope at the heart of an emotionally deep human experience”. The number of couples who decide to get married in church is progressively declining: according to the figures published by the French Episcopal Conference, there were 122,580 Catholic marriages in 2000, in comparison with over 147,000 in 1990. Civil marriage are growing (287,000 in 1990; 305,500 in 2000); so too are mixed marriages in which only one of the two spouses is Catholic (some 10,000 in 1990, rising to 14,351 in 2000). An eye on the wider world. The bishops regard with deep concern and solidarity the Christians of the southern Sudan, the peoples of the Holy Land and of Iraq. “We appeal – said Archbishop Ricard on behalf of the whole assembly – to all the protagonists of peace to dedicate themselves courageously to opening a constructive dialogue that may finally silence the guns of war, so that security, dignity and justice may be re-established”. The final reference is to the Iraqi people who “are already suffering the effects of the embargo. May everything be done – said Ricard – to prevent them from having to support the devastation and consequences of a new war”. Maria Chiara Biagioni