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The satisfaction of the bishops of the Czech Republic in the recently approved European Constitutional Treaty is not wholehearted. If on the one hand they “welcome its approval as an important step towards the further integration of Europe for the safeguarding of a serene and peaceful future for the continent”, on the other they “consider that the omission of any reference to the Christian roots in the preamble of the Constitution denotes a lack of courage for the truth”. The bishops’ position was expressed at the end of their plenary assembly that ended on 7 July with a brief statement in which, among other things, they recall that “the Constitution guarantees dialogue with the Churches and reaffirms the values from which unity is born. These values undoubtedly include the religious heritage that permitted the birth of democracy, human rights, liberty and the rule of law”. “We are rightly proud the bishops conclude that Europe’s foundations have been forged by the Judeo-Christian tradition. But concealing this reality showed a lack of courage”.
