Germany " "
German Catholic laity at a meeting on social and political involvement ” “” “
The plenary assembly of the ZdK (Zentralkomitee der deutschen Katholiken), the central committee of German Catholics, opens on 21 November. The Catholic lay organization is meeting for two days at Bonn-Bad Godesberg to reflect on the involvement of Catholic laity in the political life of the country, with particular reference to some issues of particular actuality in Germany at the present time, from the social reforms introduced by the government to the health system, with attention also to international developments, such as the work of the European Convention. We spoke about the meeting with Hans Joachim Meyer , president of the ZdK. Catholic Germans and politics: how can their presence be made more incisive? “The effectiveness of Catholic involvement in politics can only be the result of persevering and prolonged efforts. For many years the ZdK has been striving to promote families. In the current debate on the reforms of the welfare state in Germany people are now beginning to understand how necessary it is to support parents during the education of their children and to substantially improve benefits for those who have children. Another sector of politics in which the ZdK is active concerns the question of the bioethical consequences of the new results of the life sciences. In this field we have contributed in a decisive way to increase resistance to any type of research that entails the use of human embryos and to pre-implant diagnosis. This also goes for opposition to any kind of active euthanasia. These are just two important fields of political action in which German Catholics are actively involved”. What type of dialogue exists in Germany between lay organizations and parishes? “The representatives of the lay organizations that exist in the parish with their own group or community are co-opted onto the parish councils. The same goes for the diocesan pastoral councils, in which the organizations are represented by their own delegates. In general, close and fruitful collaboration exists. The life of the German Catholic Church is inconceivable without the commitment of the organizations of the Catholic laity”. Christian tradition and Europe: how are German Catholics contributing to this debate? “Right from the start of the discussion on a European charter of fundamental rights, the ZdK expressed its support for the insertion in the document of a reference to God and to the Christian heritage as one of the spiritual sources of the European identity. Wide consensus exists on this request in Germany. Together with our friends of the Semaines sociales de France and other organizations and Catholic personalities in other European countries, we have set up a network that has on several occasions taken a common stance with demonstrations and joint declarations. Unfortunately the influence of secularism is particularly strong in the neo-Latin countries, with the result that these efforts have so far produced no result. In spite of that, together with European Catholics we will continue to dedicate ourselves to maintain a Christian influence on the foundations of the values of Europe”.
