An active presence

The Most Rev. ADRIANUS VAN LUYN , bishop of Rotterdam, is the new President of COMECE (Commission of the episcopates of the European Community). A member of the Salesians, Van Luyn has headed the Dutch diocese since 1993. He will lead COMECE for the next three years, flanked by two Vice-Presidents: the Most Rev. DIARMUID MARTIN , archbishop of Dublin (Ireland), and Msgr. PIOTR JARECKI , auxiliary bishop of Warsaw. INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE, SOCIAL QUESTIONS. The COMECE plenary assembly ended on Friday, 24 March, after three days of “particularly delicate reflections on intercultural and interfaith dialogue”, explained the new President. The bishops, he pointed out, had drafted a statement “to contribute to the debate on the future of the EU, which will be published on 9 May”, Europe Day. They also agreed to hold a special event in Rome in March 2007, “to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the founding Treaties of the EEC”. The bishops also discussed “various initiatives to prepare for and participate in 2008, the year that the EU intends to dedicate to intercultural dialogue”. Van Luyn further listed “some key points” that would mark his Presidency: in particular “the main social questions of the present time, the promotion of human rights, religious liberty and human dignity, and ethical issues. I would like us to begin reflecting again on the European common good, also in response to the recrudescence of nationalist tendencies in our continent”. COMMON POSITION WITH THE OTHER RELIGIOUS FAITHS. During the assembly, Monsignor JOSEF HOMEYER , outgoing President of COMECE after a term of office spanning 13 years, reviewed “COMECE efforts to promote dialogue between the cultures and the various religious faiths present in the continent”. These he presented to HANS WINKLER , Austrian Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Austria now holds the revolving Presidency of the European Council). Winkler “welcomed” what he called the “constructive proposals”, and promised to bring them to the Council’s attention. The various proposals include “the intention to draft a joint declaration with the other Christian confessions, Jews and Muslims, on freedom of expression and respect for religious convictions”. The discussion in the assembly had been prompted by the controversy over the caricatures of the prophet Mohamed published by various European papers, which had unleashed violent protests and demonstrations in various countries with an Islamic majority. The plenary also discussed plans for “the creation of an ad hoc work group on relations between the EU and States with a Muslim majority”: this ought to produce a report which would then be submitted to the analysis of the European bishops during their plenary session in the spring of 2007. “These initiatives – explained Homeyer and van Luyn – should be understood as contributions to the year of intercultural dialogue to be celebrated in 2008”. THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY. Great attention was devoted during the COMECE plenary to the situation of European integration, also in the light of current difficulties and the halt to the European Constitution. In this regard, the Most Rev. HIPPOLYTE SIMON , former COMECE Vice-President and bishop of Clermont-Ferrand, explained that “the bishops have decided to promote a congress in Rome, on 23-24 March 2007, on the vigil of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the founding Treaties of the European Economic Community” (25 March 1957). In this way “we would like to invite reflection on the EU and its values after this half century of our common course”. “Usually – explained Simon to SIR – the emphasis is placed on the moments of crisis of the European Community. But we know that there are also positive results: we may think of peace, economic development, cultural integration, enlargement to the East… We would like to place the emphasis on revaluing these objectives achieved, not by denying the present difficulties, but by looking to the future with confidence”. To prepare for the event in Rome, “we will organize a preparatory conference at Clermont-Ferrand from 9 to 11 October”. ROLE AND STRUCTURE OF CCEE AND COMECE. Another issue debated by the bishops was that relating to the “role and structure of the two European Church organizations”: the CCEE (Council of the European Bishops’ Conferences, represented at the meeting by its President Bishop AMÉDÉE GRAB and general secretary Msgr. ALDO GIORDANO ) and COMECE. In this regard, Homeyer explained that “the European context has radically changed over the last 15 years”. The fall of the “Berlin Wall” and the “reunification” of Europe “require that the Church organizations also review their own tasks, and reinforce the close collaboration already in place, without rejecting the option of revising their structures, in the sense of greater unity of intents”.