2004, a crucial year” “

Not just “Christian roots”: to construct a Europe that is extending its own frontiers eastwards and towards the Mediterranean, a Europe that is internally cohesive and the driving force of an international peace policy, a more comprehensive action is needed. Beginning with the drafting of a Constitution “that may recognise the basic values and the common objectives of the European Union, also through concrete and ambitious policies of economic, social and cultural development”. The autumn plenary session of COMECE (Commission of the episcopates of the European Community), held in Brussels on 30 and 31 October, discussed the multiple aspects of the process of EU enlargement, with particular attention to the work of the intergovernmental Conference (IGC). Christian heritage and other religions. “The bishops – explains Msgr. Josef Homeyer, Germany, president of COMECE – exhaustively discussed the future European Constitution, and expressed appreciation as a whole for the draft Treaty that emerged from the Convention. The success of the IGC at this point is not only desirable, but also possible. The COMECE assembly, attended for the first time by a representative of the US Church, took note of the terms in which religious questions are mentioned in the draft Constitution. Positive evaluations were expressed on the formulation of article 51: “it positively tackles – declared Msgr. Homeyer – the relations between Union and Churches, reaffirms the principle of religious freedom and defines the terms of a structured dialogue between the two institutions. We now await an explicit recognition of the Christian roots of Europe in the preamble of the Constitutional Treaty. What is at stake here is a historic legacy of the continent: such recognition would certainly not throw into question the secular nature of EU institutions. Nor would the citation of the Christian heritage minimise the contribution of other religions or other traditions of thought to the history of Europe, which could in turn be mentioned in the preamble”. Europe, its “neighbours” and enlargement. The process of enlargement of EU frontiers, which will lead in 2004 to the EU growing from 15 to 25 member states, was also a central theme on the assembly’s agenda. Msgr. Adrianus van Luyn (Netherlands), COMECE vice-president, speaking on the margins of the assembly, underlined “the interest of the Commission of the episcopates of the Community in fostering relations between Union, the countries of the Mediterranean and oriental states. It goes without saying that to construct a greater Europe, extreme attention must be devoted to the economic and social aspects and to the safeguard of the rights of the person. The bishops also focused on particularly critical questions, such as immigration, security, international cooperation and interreligious dialogue”. During the press conference held at the end of the assembly, it was stressed that European bishops “appreciate those projects of the European Commission that promote dialogue between religions and cultures of the Union and those of its neighbours”. They intend to ask the executive to ensure, in compliance with the principle of subsidiarity, that the representatives of the three main monotheist religions each have their own place in this dialogue”. 2004, a turning point for Europe. The assembly of European bishops also approved a timetable for 2004, defined by Msgr. Hippolyte Simon (France, COMECE vice-president) “a crucial year in the history of European integration”. To underline “the importance of the membership of ten new countries of the EU and the adoption of the European Constitution – explained Simon – COMECE is organising a series of events at Santiago di Compostela. In particular, a pilgrimage to the sanctuary of St. James will be held from 17 to 24 April”. It will be preceded by a congress on 22 and 23 April, on the theme “The responsibility of Catholics and the European project”, in which reference will be made to the COMECE document of last June entitled “Let us open our hearts”. The whole programme of events will conclude with the spring session of the COMECE assembly.