Together for Europe

Over 1100 people will convene in Loppiano (Florence) September 19-20 to attend “Together for Europe”. The event follows the wake of the major events promoted in Stuttgart (2004 and 2007) by 250 European Church movements. The Pope John XXIII Community, Sant’Egidio, Equipe Notre Dame, Renewal in the Holy Spirit and the Focolari Movement promote this year’s initiative. Italy’s “Together for Europe” encounter is in synergy with dozens of similar events held this year in France, Belgium, Northern Ireland, Hungary and Slovakia. The rich program presents an overview of European movements’ achievements since 1988. Lectures will be delivered by the movements’ coordinators that include G. Paolo Ramonda (Pope John XXIII Community), Salvatore Martinez (RnS), Maria Emmaus Voce (Focolari), Marco Impagliazzo (Saint Egidio) and Carlo and Maria Carla Volpini (Equipes Notre-Dame). Representatives of Catholic Action and AGESCI scout federation are also expected to attend the meeting. Two round tables will address the themes of “Fagility and the Family” and “Poverty and the economy”. SIR Europe interviewed the representative of the Focolari movement Maria Emmaus Voce.What brought so many movements and lay associations to take part in the event “Together for Europe”? “This initiative is ten-years long. Ten years that witnessed the communion and the aggregation of lay movements, extending beyond Catholic and Italian movements to include Churches from other European Countries. This network of fraternity is increasingly larger. All of us share the urgent need to give our contribution to the Europe of the spirit that was the dream – yet to be realized – of John Paul II, and which remains the dream of the present Pope. Europe is striving to optimize political and economic structures, but without a strong and vibrant soul the project of unity cannot be achieved”.You spoke of soul: is there a specific contribution that the laity can give to Europe? “The specific contribution of the laity is the Gospel lived according to the different charismas that have their roots in the life of the Word within the different movements. We are increasingly aware of the new energies bestowed upon us by the Holy Spirit to help us respond to contemporary evils. The communion of movements enabled us to discover that each one of our charismas are a response to the dark mantle hovering over the world, and that the single movements shine a ray of light as a specific response to the darkness of a given moment. All of us share the rediscovery of the Gospel, which tells us that only love has the transforming power to heal the tears in societies’ political, social and economic realms. The meeting in Loppiano will be focused on the experiences of the living Gospel as witnessed in the lives of Christian laity inside the movements”. Do you believe that the moment has come for a greater and more qualified presence of Catholics within European institutions? “I wished there were a larger presence of lay Christians within EU institutions. Formation is also necessary. One of the first personalities of the Focolari movement was Igino Giordani, writer and politician, whose diocesan beatification process is reaching its completion. In full awareness of the political situation, his personal and direct experience brought him to affirm that if everyone is in need of sanctity, then statesmen and legislators need a double portion. This is no utopia since we have seen politicians in Italy and in Europe who are engaged in transforming the Gospel into the rule of their daily lives, bringing its spirit in the relationship with political parties by appreciating a party different from their own, by loving the homeland of the other as they love their own and who are daily committed in overcoming controversies and lacerations that appear insurmountable in parliament, in order to meet the challenge of political fraternity. They are aware that this is the only way to accomplish the common good”.How can Church diversity affect the debate on topical issues in Europe such as euthanasia, abortion, human rights and religious freedom…? “Other than the diversity of richness I would focus on the plurality of the Church, which in the erection of the ecumenical building bestows mutual gifts. Indeed there are diversities, but all Churches share the same root that is the Gospel. A joint rediscovery of the Word leads to a communality of intentions and to share human values, that result from the fundamental choice of God”.Fragility and the family, poverty and the economy; are these the new frontiers of Christian commitment in Europe? “These are crucial themes are they’re not the only ones, especially at a time of crisis and confusion such as this one. We are seeking new proposals for concrete experiences that may be a source of hope in the area of Christian commitment in Europe”.