Dialogue in three directions

“Europe Infos” resumes after the summer pause. The September issue opens with an editorial by the secretary general of COMECE Piotr Mazurkiewicz, (cf. SIR Europe n.59) “What young protesters get up to during their holidays”. Political and economic articles delve into the future of nuclear energy in Europe after the catastrophe in Japan and tackle the 2014-2020 EU Financial Framework regarding the political strategies of Europe2020; “international couples”, the standstill in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and intercultural dialogue complete the latest online issue.Intercultural dialogue. More and more EU Member States reconsider their integration policy, and there is also debate within the Catholic Church concerning new avenues for dialogue with Muslim citizens. Although many see this as a threat scenario, dialogue bears important fruits provided that certain basic principles are respected, writes Martin Rupprecht, a parish priest in Vienna, director of the Centre for Christian-Islamic Encounter in the Archdiocese of Vienna. Audiatur et altera pars – hear the other side; “while there are indeed terrorist groups intent on driving Christians out of Islamic countries” Rupprecht writes, “many Muslims are still suffering the same fate”. That’s why the only way to act responsibly is to include engagement with representative voices of the other side. Opening up to learning opportunities: “showing developments in theology, and pointing to the working of the Holy Spirit in the midst of it all can be a means of coming alongside Muslims in friendly fashion”. Human beings, not only Christians, are the focal point of our concern, as states Gaudium et Spes 1. Experiencing one another at prayer: and devoting time to mutual understanding; Recognising God’s work in others – and His message for me as is stated in Nostra Aetate 2, assuming a positive understanding of the other, developing a perspective that will promote peace. “We should stop talking about Muslims and start talking with them and making plans together”, is the prelate’s conclusion. International couples. It is estimated that about 16 million ‘international couples’ currently exist across the European Union. One of the most relevant aspects of such situations concerns the regulation of the property rights of these couples. Wisely, the European Commission recently presented two legislative proposals on the subject, but some elements of the text are somewhat questionable, underlines Alessandro Calcagno, assistant at the COMECE secretariat, in his contribution. The first proposal does not seem to adequately protect the legal systems of those Member States of the Union that do not recognise registered partnerships with a national law. This “could lead them to apply the law of States which foresee and regulate them”. The second legislative proposal does not contain any provision covering cases in which certain kinds of ‘marriage’ do not exist in a given Member State, and secondly, the proposal leaves to citizens the possibility to choose the law applicable to their matrimonial property regimes. This may lead to the phenomenon of ‘law shopping’, as the concrete risk exists that choices will be determined by mere convenience. Moreover, Calcagno points out, there is a risk of ” creating the basis for a two-speed Union in a delicate area like family law and placing undue pressure on those Member States that would not join the process”.Israel-Palestine: the challenge of peace. Frank Turner, OCIPE (Jesuit European Office), retraces the events of past Spring when the UN special Coordinator for the Middle East peace process Robert Serry, said that the Peace Process had reached an impasse, despite the signing of a “reconciliation agreement” past May had triggered new hopes. Amidst this political impasse, a recent meeting hosted by the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church in London focused on the increasingly precarious position of the region’s Christians. Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Fouad Twal, attending the meeting, insisted on the crucial contribution of the international community. At least five elements seem essential to a peace agreement: the recognition by Arab states of Israel’s right to exist, and of its legitimate security concerns. This right to exist does not, however, entail recognising Israel as a Jewish state; the recognition of a viable Palestinian state; scarce Palestinian resources, (such as water) must be available for its own benefit; the human rights of minorities present in the other state must be protected; mutual respect between the mainstream religious communities of Jews and of Muslims. Whereas the USA “can scarcely be impartial,” says Turner, mediating this process remains “one of the EU’s principal foreign policy responsibilities”, given its financial and economic agreements with both parties. “Could the Arab spring extend to Palestine?”.