Called to serve

On November 8 the 49th plenary assembly of French Bishops (CEF) closed in Lourdes (begun Nov.3) The assembly addressed a number of issues ranging from higher Catholic education to religious indifference, from poverty to bioethics, from migrations to the future of Christian communities, including the environment and Sunday meetings. The bishops set up two new working groups on "Environment and ecology", chaired by the bishop of Troyes, Msgr. Marc Stenger, and another on "Sunday meetings, challenges and initiatives" headed by the bishop of Valence, Msgr. Jean-Christophe Lagleize. CEF President Card. André Vingt-Trois, arbishop of Paris, delivered the meeting’s closing address.The primary goal. "To bring together the people of God so that sacramental life – the nourishment of apostolic life – is real and living", this is the primary goal identified by Cardinal Vingt-Trois in his final statement. "The sites and forms of our meetings are no longer what they once were. Indeed, they follow the progress of human life. Through these changes we seek priests’ commitment in their pastoral ministry of sanctifying and educating their communities, and as a Church, of living in proximity to our contemporaries in all the fields of their existence, at work, in their social life, in the family and in the realms of culture and leisure". To this regard, the Cardinal highlighted the relevant role of the document "Tomorrow, the life of our Christian communities". This primary goal involves commitments in the realm of higher Catholic education that in turn "is set against the background of Gospel proclamation where we have begun to identify to tools that best address contemporary challenges",said Cardinal Vingt-Trois. Europe. In his conclusions the president of French bishops referred also to the theme of justice applied to the realm of poverty and to the exploitation of world resources. In this perspective Europe plays an important role. "Twenty years after the fall of the wall of Berlin Europe cannot be merely a machine to produce prosperity and limit its measures to defend this prosperity from harming poor countries", His Eminence said. Europe "must always remain the promoter of development and the true defender of human rights", he declared. For the cardinal, aspiration to "greater justice and equality cannot be confined to reiterating increased human resources ignoring the fact that these are not limitless. Greater justice – he said – demands the courage to lead sober lifestyles". "These societal challenges cannot be viewed merely in the background of the French situation. Indeed they ought to lie at the centre of European policies and mark Europe’s responsibility towards the rest of the world". The president of French bishops referred to Africa, and highlighted "the concern raised by this Continent and our responsibilities to its regard. We are called to serve the integral development in full respect of Africa’s values". Respect for the human person. Each progress, each step forward in the area of human intelligence must not be blind before all those things relating to the human person. "Our battles for the weak register a steady progress. How many men and women harbour the yearning to have a better life, that doesn’t merely consist in an easier life. Rather a more human life is needed by all, in France as in the rest of the world". His Eminence reaffirmed "the respect of life from the moment of conception to its natural termination. May medical researches benefit everyone preventing man from become instrumental to research profits. We want misery to be fought by uprooting its causes. We want families to be encouraged and sustained so that the youth may find their place in society". Migrations, a global approach. Upon the bishops’ invitation the Vice-president of the European Commission Jacques Barrot, Commissioner for Justice, Liberty and Security addressed the topic of migration, poverty and justice on November 7. Responsible migration policies ought to promote regular migration flows, he said. Barrot presented "a global approach to migrations, namely, a policy that involves greater solidarity with the Countries of origin". The Commissioner spoke of the need to draw up "a statute for seasonal workers", guaranteeing "repatriation of illegal migrants in the best possible ethical conditions", "identifying immigrants’ Countries of departure". As regards the question of asylum, Barrot said he looks forward to the revision of the "golden rule of Dublin", establishing that asylum-seekers must be sent back to the first country of arrival. According to the vice-president of the European Commission it would be preferable to file a request of asylum in the Country where the migrant’s relatives are already present.