A soul for the continent

"Meeting in communion in this cathedral is a sign of hope for our Europe which suffers the crisis and runs the risk of losing sight of the Heaven open for its countries and peoples", said Msgr. Aldo Giordano, permanent observer of the Holy See to the Council of Europe, during the "Mass for Europe" celebrated at the Strasbourg Cathedral on Wednesday, March 7. The Eucharistic celebration was attended by the Presidents of the Bishops’ Conferences of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Bishops’ Conference of Sts Cyril and Methodius (Serbia, Montenegro, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), Greece, Moldavia, Romania and Turkey. Among the attendees were also executives from European institutions: ambassadors, officers and representatives of the Council of Europe, judges of the European Court of Human Rights, MEPs, authorities of Strasbourg and the Alsace region. It is "a great prayer for Europe and for all those who are actively engaged in its construction", said Msgr. Giordano. "It testifies to the place of God in the public sphere".Increased awareness of European issues. The meeting of the presidents of nine Bishops’ Conferences of South-East Europe in Strasbourg, organised by the Council of European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE) in collaboration with the Holy See’s Permanent Mission to the Council of Europe closed on March 7 (ongoing from March 5). "The most important question to ask ourselves today – said Msgr. Giordano – is whether a civilisation can survive for a long time without a great religion which supports it and gives it a soul. This is also true for Europe, a continent with a long history of civilisation and culture. God is the starting point for seeing with new eyes the great history of peoples and people’s daily lives". "Without God – Benedict XVI wrote in ‘Caritas in Veritate’ – man neither knows which way to go, nor even understands who he is". Msgr. Giordano explained the reasons why the presidents of the Bishops’ Conferences of South-East Europe had decided to gather in Strasbourg. He said: "It is essential for both Christians and the Churches to gain an increasing awareness and knowledge of the issues that are dealt with at the European level so as to play an active role in the places where decisions are made". Recognition of the legal status of the Churches. Recognising the legal status of the Catholic Churches in those countries where they are a minority is one of the "hot" issues addressed in Strasbourg by the bishops of South-East Europe, also thanks to the presence of Catholic Church leaders of countries such as Greece, Turkey and Cyprus. Religious freedom is a delicate issue tackled in the meetings with European institutions executives. "It was important – Msgr. Giordano told SIR Europe – to make the European institutions aware that there are problems with freedom of religion that sometime turn into a marginalisation of religion out of the public sphere and even developing into forms of persecution. So, on one side, Europe must be made aware that there are such situations, and, on the other side, Europe must do its utmost to deal with them". Msgr. Giordano recalled the rulings of the Court that "are jurisprudence in this sense. Just one year ago, for instance, we discussed the ruling regarding the Italian Lautsi case, a ruling that asserted the right of any country to have its traditions, beliefs and faith respected, a ruling that has remained central to the debate".A positive encounter. "The Churches – added Msgr. Duarte da Cunha, CCEE general secretary – ask to be recognised as legal persons, so that they can engage in their mission better, with peace of mind, and with the same dignity enjoyed in the respective countries by that other religions". "The Council of Europe – Msgr. Da Cunha said – is a place where cultural and pre-political issues are discussed, such as the defence of life, of the family, of the freedom of conscience". This meeting, concluded the CCEE general secretary, "has helped us receive information on the history and the functioning of the Council of Europe. We met the people in charge of the different institutions and identified ways in which the Council of Europe may best serve the good of the Church and of the peoples that the bishops represent. I believe it has been useful for the future". "It made us hope that the Council of Europe may echo the concerns and the expectations of the Church. And it also made us hope that during such meetings the Council of Europe may get to know the Churches better, that they are keen on and interested in what people are doing here. Such vis-à-vis discussions can only produce positive things, and not for the private interests of the Churches but for the peoples they represent".