"It was important for us to commemorate with gratitude the fiftieth anniversary of the Treaties of Rome and at the same time to celebrate the values and principles that have left their mark on the European integration process to this day": with these words, mgr. Adrianus van Luyn, bishop of Rotterdam and president of Comece, illustrated this morning, in his meeting with Benedict XVI, the reasons for the Comece Congress, which is in progress in Rome. "The physical and psychological frontiers of Europe added the bishop are now less prominent that twenty years ago". Of this "we can be grateful, even more because a number of principles underlying the integration process are in agreement with the Catholic social doctrine". Mentioning the European motto, "Unity in diversity", mgr. van Luyn added that the Christian faith "makes us understand that Europe is unity in diversity, but it is only a part of a united and diverse mankind". Finally, the president of Comece spoke of a urgent need for Europe: "To forget private interests, give priority to the common good in Europe, and work responsibly for peace and justice in the world".
