The task of Europe

Financial crisis, earthquake and nuclear disaster in Japan, the prospects opened by the “spring revolution in the Arab world” and the vulnerable condition of the Christian minorities in the Middle East: these are the issues and challenges by which the European Union is now confronted and which “demand from its politicians both careful evaluation and rapid action”. These words, opening the spring plenary assembly of the Commission of the Episcopates of the European Community (COMECE), now in progress in Brussels (6-8 April), were spoken by the Commission’s President, Mgr. Adrianus van Luyn, Bishop of Rotterdam, who emphasized three problems in particular in his address to the European bishops: the financial crisis and the threat to the euro; the nuclear disaster in Japan; and the plight of Christians in the Middle East.Financial crisis. Though admitting that the bishops “lack the necessary specialist expertise” in economic and financial matters, Mgr. van Luyn sees – in this period of crisis that has brought to their knees some countries in the EU – “one good base line”, one positive feature of the crisis, namely the determination shown by the member states of the European Union – “perhaps with the exception of the UK and probably also Sweden” – to “work even more closely together” in future”. And he added: “In the past few months, under the pressure of a serious crisis, a community has been further reinforced – a community based on the values of freely exercised solidarity and freely assumed responsibility. Here, the firm commitment of powerful support to those who find themselves in need is linked to their promise each to put their own house in order. Greater solidarity in the EU has become possible through increased responsibility”. But the financial crisis has also brought home another truth: “It is becoming increasingly obvious that here in Europe we have been living beyond our means for too long. We have not shared enough of our wealth, either with those who live in greater poverty in other parts of the world, or with those who, as children today, are inheriting their parents’ irresponsibly high burden of debt”.Nuclear energy. Another crisis discussed in Mgr. van Luyn’s address is the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima power plant which, together with the earthquake and tsunami, is having a traumatic effect on Japan. “Even if the probability of a European nuclear power plant being overrun by a tsumani is comparatively low, there is absolutely no guarantee that one day, for whatever reasons, another catastrophe will not occur”. Moreover, Mgr. van Luyn said that “after over-hasty actions and excessive, although understandable reactions, such as the demand for immediate abandonment of nuclear energy, we will have to seriously consider whether we can really justify the risks and consequences associated with our energy-hungry lifestyle. Since it has become clear just how much our carbon-dependent energy production pollutes our environment, we also need to call in question nuclear energy, which at first sight causes comparatively less pollution”. The Bishop of Rotterdam admits, however, that “we will not be able to abandon it just through energy saving”. An emblematic example of this is France, where nuclear power covers “75% of its energy requirements”. That’s why “we will have to fundamentally change our lifestyles, and live more modestly, more economically and most sustainably. We will have to back energy sources which are more environment-friendly but more expensive”. “In the field of energy policy – he continued -, the Churches have no direct competence”. But “people expect from the Church alternatives which, going beyond exclusively technical solutions, appeal to their deeper-lying humanity and encourage people to seek, find and risk the way to a different and fulfilling life”.Middle East. In his report Mgr. van Luyn lastly expressed on behalf of all the European bishops deep concern about the “pressing plight” of Christians in the Middle East and “the danger that Christianity might disappear from the regions where it originated and where it has been at home for two thousand years”. “We are still shocked – he said – by the bloody attacks against Christian churches in Egypt and Iraq”. Referring to the revolutions that have taken place in recent months in the countries of North Africa in the name of freedom and democracy, the COMECE President insisted that “despite the developments in recent weeks, the position of religious minorities – not only Christians – remains precarious. They need to be protected”. He then posed a series of questions: “What developments can we expect after the expulsion or resignation of the old rulers?”, “What might be the consequences of democratisation without any real prospect of improvement in the economic situation? Could this not intensify the prevailing frustration of the younger generations?” In response to these and other questions, the Dutch bishop concluded as follows: “No, the Catholic Church does not have any coherent strategies, action plans or ready-made responses for these challenges. What she can offer is her readiness to participate in searching, thinking and working together to find solutions”.