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Fear is a bad counsellor. The fear of Christian values that has been further expressed in some European circles leads nowhere. The same goes for the fear of Islam, and for the fear that so many Europeans, Christians or not, have today: the fear that the self-evident Christian identity of Europe may be lost. For fear prevents us from seeing reality. Europe has a Christian or rather Judeo-Christian heritage: Europe lives thanks to it. Just as it lives also thanks to the heritage of Greece, pagan Rome, Constantinople, German tribes, Islam and the Enlightenment. As for Christians, fear could prevent them from seeing the reality of the draft European Constitutional Treaty or from realizing that some values essential for Christians are in fact present in this fundamental text. A reference [to Christianity] is undoubtedly important, but equally important is the explicit and complete affirmation of essential values from the Christian point of view such as “the inviolable dignity of the human person”, “peace, justice and solidarity in the world”, or the principle of subsidiarity, directly inspired by Christian social doctrine, or a high level of social protection. Of course, there still remains a lot to be done to ensure that such values (that are also Christian values) pass from words into reality. Who for example protests today when the European authorities, in the name of free competition and economic efficiency, denounce the Cotonou accords with the countries of the southern hemisphere or take measures that lead to thousands of Europeans losing their jobs? The defence of the family and of life is also to be put into practice wherever other lives are being broken and wherever families are living in poverty. In actual fact, it will be the testimony of the Christians today, just as it was that of De Gasperi, Robert Schuman or Adenauer in their time, that will ensure that Europe remains faithful to its Christian values. This presupposes in the first place that the Church should continue to speak and act at the service of society. In the second place, we must also accept that our proposals be discussed in a democratic way. In short, it is our responsibility to open to everyone, without discrimination, a path for life: experience demonstrates that the proposals made in a brotherly spirit “so that man may have life” are received with gratitude and attention. Displaying a crucifix at the entrance to the “common home” of Europe is undoubtedly important. But equally important is ensuring that this Europe continues to live on the basis of its Christian heritage. We need to ensure that those who live in this home include ever more Christian men and women, capable of overcoming their fears and living the signs of the time: so many signs that demonstrate that the spirit of God is alive and at work in our Europe, whether in the light of day or not, for a harvest already rich in fruit
