Another barrier falls

“The Schengen area is the first secular, but deeply significant, representation of the new European unity. We are returning, in a certain sense, to the unified space of medieval Christianity, when pilgrims who went from Germany to Santiago de Compostela or from Slovenia to Rome had no need of passports or visas”. Born in Slovenia in 1943, Archbishop of Lubiana from 1997 to 2004, Cardinal Franc Rodè, Prefect of the Vatican Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Society for Apostolic Life, is very familiar with the ecclesiastic reality, the culture and social organization of the areas on the Italian/Slovenian border. These very days (20-21 December) Slovenia is to become a full member of the “Schengen area”, which favors the free circulation of persons among the member countries which consitute the “Schengen area”, and reinforces controls over external borders. Slovenia, as stated in the treaties of member states, will become part of the “area” together with other countries who recently joined the EU: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lettonia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovackian Republic and Hungary. Slovenia, furthermore, will be the first former Communist country and new EU member to take on the rotating presidency on January 1, 2008. For an in-depth analysis of the future scenarios of the “new EU” and of the prospectives opening up after the breakdown of what, for over sixty years, was one of the most tightly closed borders of Europe, Mauro Ungaro and Juij Paljk, the editors of “Voce Isontina” and “Novi Glas” (respectively, Italian and Slovenian language Catholic weeklies of Gorizia in Italy) recently met with Cardinal FRANC RODÈ . Your Eminence, at this very moment the entry of Slovenia and other countries into the Treaty of Schengen, is causing the crumbling of historical borders all over Europe…. “The Schengen area is the first secular, but deeply significant representation of the new European unity. The fact that there is no longer a frontier might appear of little importance to a superficial observer, but in truth it is of enormous importance. These days, borders are being torn down physically, but the moment will soon come when these barriers will also crumble to pieces in our minds – and this will be even more important. We are, in a certain sense, returning to the unified space of medieval Christianity when pilgrims who went from Germany to Santiago de Compostela or from Slovenia to Rome had no need for passports or visas. A European space without borders is a great event and can favor a true return to closeness and intensified reciprocal understanding between peoples”. In the new Treaty of Europe, just signed in Lisbon by the heads of State and Government of 27 members countries of the European Union, no room was found for the Christian roots. Of what significance is this for the future of our continent? “One of the great challenges to which European Christians of the third millennium are called is precisely to commit themselves to preventing the marginalization of faith and its manifestations by providing new visibility for the Church in society and in public social space. In Italy this is not a problem. The Lateran Pacts and the Concordat of 1984 guaranteed a very clear position for the Church in society and freedom for everyone to publicly express his faith or non faith. There are other countries, however, where the situation is different. I am thinking, for example, of Slovenia, a reality I know very well. In this State the essential problem is that of religious teaching and also objective information on religions (therefore not only Christianity) in schools. I have often said and wish to repeat the fact that the educational system in Slovenia is atheistic. In addition to this there is the problem of religious assistance in the Armed Forces, in hospitals, in prisons and in so many other environments. There is urgent need for a law that will elucidate and regulate these issues. I repeat that this is only an example, but it is symptomatic of how every religion must struggle – where this has not yet happened – to reach a legal status that is acceptable according to the democratic norms of the European Union. In countries where this first step has already been taken there is, however, the problem of the marginalization of faith. A response to this must be given by the political men called to play a public role in society. They should not hide their personal faith nor be afraid to reveal themselves and publicly proclaim themselves to be Christians. The tendency is the exact opposite: a movement towards privatization. Atheism can always be manifested and is seen to be innocuous and innocent while faith is annoying. Religious conviction can be so disturbing that some people might even consider it as unpleasant to have faith”.