The reasons for “yes” to Europe

“Voting is a right and a duty”. In a Declaration on European Elections anticipated to SIR Europe by COMECE Secretary General Father Piotr Mazurkiewicz (cf. SIR Europe n.16/2009), the Commission of Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) urged Christians to exercise their vote in the European elections of June 4-7. The Statement was issued upon the termination of the Spring Plenary Assembly (March 18-20)). During the meeting the bishops renewed the presidium of COMECE. Msgr. Adrianus van Luyn, bishop of Rotterdam, was confirmed for a second mandate. The vice presidents are the auxiliary bishop of Warsaw Bishop Piotr Jarecki and Bishop Reinhard Marx (Archbishop of Munich-Freising). Bishop Darmuid Martin has stepped down from his mandate as vice-president and COMECE Member for Ireland. Noël Treanor, the Bishop of Down & Connor, has replaced him. Gianni Ambrosio, Bishop of Piacenza-Bobbio, is the new delegate of the Italian Bishops’ Conference to COMECE. The Bishops also nominated Mr Michael Kuhn as deputy secretary general of COMECE. The duty to vote. At the end of the press conference that closed the meeting in Brussels, Msgr. Adrianus van Luyn advanced to Giovanna Pasqualin Traversa, for SIR Europe, part of the contents of the Declaration issued a few hours later. The bishops, he said, “express their appreciation vis à vis the European integration process” and “reaffirm their support of the European project”. However, the “strong commitment of all Christian faithful is needed” in order to ensure that “the basic principles of the dignity of the human person and the promotion of the common good” are at the heart of European Union policies. Hence the appeal “to participate in EP elections since every Christian not only has the right but also the responsibility to be actively engaged in this project by exercising his or her vote”, for the erection of a EU where all citizens feel “at home”. “A pleasant coincidence: a new mandate in the new premises and under the patronage of Saint Benedict and Saint Theresa Benedict of the Cross (to whom the chapel is dedicated, ed.’s note, cf. SIR Europe n.21)!” These were the opening remarks of COMECE president-elect. “It is my wish to continue our work for the EU devoting special attention to poor Countries that mostly need our support in the current serious crisis in the economy”, he concluded. Commitments for Iraq and the Middle East. The plenary meeting focused on the conflicts in the Middle East and in Southern Asia. To this regard, Msgr. Reinhard Marx underlined that “the Catholic Church must closely follow the unfolding of the situation in the Middle East, in the Holy Land and the surrounding Countries”. “Christians experience difficult living conditions in these areas – he pointed out – however more than ever it’s important to reaffirm that there is no alternative to dialogue and that only by solving the Israel-Palestinian conflict will it be possible to envisage solutions to other troubled areas in the Middle East” where “large numbers of Christians are leaving their homes; notably Iraq, where the situation is serious”. Msgr. Marx recalled that in 2005 Germany granted asylum to over 500 Iraqi refugees. “Especially in view of the withdrawal of US troops, political leaders ought to engage in providing a future to these people, not only to Christians but also to the members of other minority groups, who are prevented from returning to their countries of origin in the short run, and to grant support to the identity and rights of minorities in India and in other Asian regions that are often violated”. “The EU can certainly pave the way”, he concluded. The Catholic Social Days for Europe. In presenting the “Catholic Social Days for Europe”, the event promoted by COMECE that will bring together in Gdansk 500-600 European Catholics – “a third of whom are youth” – next October 8 -11, Msgr. Piotr Jarecki explained: “the event draws inspiration from the Social Weeks that have been taking place at national level across European Countries”. The theme of the “Days”, whose organization is being planned by a 26-member Commission from 19 European countries chaired by Msgr. Jarecki, is “Solidarity. A challenge for Europe”. The purpose of the event, the prelate explained, “Is to seek the paths leading to ‘European’ solidarity in the current world crisis on the basis of the doctrine of the Church in order to address the political, economic and social problems of contemporary Europe”. In this perspective, solidarity “is a challenge and a goal that can be achieved with the contribution of the youth whom we wish to involve in the debates regarding European values”. Gdansk was chosen as the event’s venue since “it is the city of Solidarnosc, and the cradle of the new era”. Msgr. Jarecki referred to the Manifesto issued a few days ago by the Commission in charge of the Days’ organization (cf. SIR Daily 03/12). The relative program will be presented next April 20 in Brussels and the following day in Gdansk.