The European dream

A Europe for everyone, a Europe of many cultures, a Europe renewed, without barriers, more just and caring – that’s the Europe dreamt of by the Catholic university youth who met with Benedict XVI on Saturday 10 March on the occasion of the 5th European Day of University Students on the theme “Intellectual charity, way for a new cooperation”. Ten cities of the world such as Prague, Krakow, Manchester, Tirana, Coimbra, Bologna, Turin and some cities in Asia such as Islamabad, Calcutta, Hong Kong and Manila, were linked by video with the meeting. THE ATMOSPHERE OF WYD. The meting began with a Marian prayer vigil presided over by Cardinal CAMILLO RUINI , Vicar of Rome, during which the ten European and Asian delegations of the countries linked by video were heard. From Prague to Bologna and Calcutta university youth testified and reflected together on the words of John Paul II in the apostolic exhortations “Ecclesia in Europa” and “Ecclesia in Asia”. The atmosphere of WYD was breathed anew; it reached its culmination with the Pope’s arrival. The young recited the rosary, partly in their own language, partly in Latin, creating “a special spiritual closeness” that the Pope underlined in his address: “though living at great distances from one another, the young succeed in feeling an attachment to each other at the level of soul-searching and witness”. In this way, added Benedict XVI, “an ideal bridge between Europe and Asia, a continent of very rich spiritual traditions” has been created. So the Pope exhorted the young to become “promoters of brotherhood inspired by intellectual love, and to pursue a solidarity that derives its impetus not from the level of economic and political interests, but from that of the study of and search for the truth”. Benedict XVI made the point that the university community was “one of the founding elements of Europe”. At the end Benedict XVI and the bishops of the cities involved in the video linkup consigned the apostolic exhortations of John Paul II “Ecclesia in Europa” and “Ecclesia in Asia” to the university students to help them realize in the universities the project of communion and service so that the men and women of the two continents “may have life and life in abundance”. The meeting ended with a pilgrimage of the WYD Cross to the seat of the Catholic University of Rome. EUROPE FOR EVERYONE. “Students can contribute to the creation of a more emancipated society, of which those who are poor in material means also form part by equal right”, said one of those present, the Albanian VLADIMIR KOLAN from Leja, according to whom “Europe must be for all its citizens and not a club for an elite. It must also give concrete aid, so that all Europeans be able to live a normal life”. Vladimir sees the role of university students in the “construction of a more transparent society that is not obscured by political and economic powers. We are aware – added the Albanian student – that many information media, even if they seem liberal and democratic from outside, remain the media of some groups that only express particular interests, forgetting the common good”. For Caterina Uchacziowa from Prague, on the other hand, “it’s extremely important to pray for a renewed Christian Europe, because Europe today is in crisis and prayer is the most effective means in these cases. Christian students must defend and promote the culture of life, sacrifice and penance, especially now during Lent when, through small daily renunciations, we can ask the Lord for help in building the civilization of love”. “Europe must be based on solid moral principles”, said the Bulgarian RADOSSLAV SPASSOV from Russe. “University students – he said – must be a sign of hope and of rebirth for Europe. The young don’t have prejudices and don’t set up barriers between each other and so they apply euro-integration in real life”. TERESA PAIS from Lisbon for her part underlined the real meaning of freedom: “the young usually feel very free and strenuously defend their freedom. Christian youth know, however, that freedom means responsibility. That’s why we university students must bear witness to faith: a faith that enables us to enter into the Truth that makes us free and makes us yearn for a more just and caring Europe”. “We also need a Europe where the various religions can live together in peace and concord, because we need to start out from respect for religions and collaboration between the various faiths – added the Albanian Kolan -; students in this sense can transmit what they have received from their religion, but at the same time try to understand the religions of others in such a way as to be able to live together and build a future of mutual understanding and esteem. So, also in the diversity of cultures and religions, it is possible to live together in peace and avoid the clashes that only bring hatred and violence”.