In unity and solidarity

COMECE bishops (Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community), gathered in plenary from October 26 to 28 in Brussels, proposed a “long-term perspective” to combat the ongoing crisis. In the statement released at the end of the Autumn session, themed “The financial crisis and the future of European integration”, the Commission addressed an appeal to the European Union and to its citizens to avoid mutual accusations, while assuming a common responsibility in the quest of a solution to the financial crisis that hit the euro area, which is undermining the very existence of the European Union and of the euro in particular. The bishops called upon European political leaders to develop measures that will respond to a long-term perspective in order to overcome the difficult situation. Follows the text of the document drawn up by the Commission. Unity and solidarity. Dignitaries representing European institutions also took part in the assembly of the bishops who “heard several experts on this complex issue”, they write. “Mr Peter Wagner, from the European Commission, presented the mission of the newly created Task Force for Greece. Prof. Dr. Lans Bovenberg, Tilburg University, Dr. Emmanuel van der Mensbrugghe, Director of the IMF Office in Europe and M. Jean-Pierre Jouyet, President of the French Financial Markets Authority presented their view on the economic and political causes of the debt crisis in Europe”. The causes of the crisis – the document continues – are structural and they are mainly rooted in short-term and very often electorally motivated political choices over recent decades”. These choices “often reflect individual behaviour of credit-financed consumerism”. Moreover, “in the current situation, a culture of blame will lead nowhere”, the bishops point out. “Europeans should stay united and exercise solidarity in order to overcome the present crisis. Crisis doesn’t necessarily mean decline: it can be made an opportunity for renewal”.Thinking of the next generations. “The President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, presented to the COMECE Bishops the outcome of the European Summit, which began on 26 October”. The bishops welcomed the result as “a response to the immediate crisis. Knowing, however, that technical and short-term solutions will be insufficient, they underlined the need for developing a long term vision concerning the European Institutions and the social and economic model they promote. In particular – they underline – we must take into greater account the interests of the younger generations that risk becoming the main victims of the crisis”. The role of the Church. “The Bishops are convinced that the Church can be a force for cohesion and hope within European societies, which are threatened by populism and division”, the bishops write. “The main roots of the present Crisis are moral and spiritual. Moral relativism is changing the sense of personal and collective responsibility and the sense of the common good in the long perspective. Through their social services, Churches help the weakest in our societies; they promote human dignity and the common good against individualistic tendencies”. At the end of the meeting the COMECE Bishops announced that they adopted a “declaration on Social Market Economy, a term which has been inserted into the Treaty of the European Union with the Lisbon Treaty”. The text, “A European Community of Solidarity and Responsibility”, will be published in several languages in early January 2012.