Fifty years after the signing of the Treaties of Rome, Benedict XVI turns to the present and the future of Europe, a continent that has come a long way, but one that is committing suicide from the point of view of demographics and ideals. Once a spark of universal values Europe now hails compromises and cynicism, stifling Christian voices. Hence, today all Christians must work together to build a new Europe.
Europe is moving towards ‘self-apostasy,” forgetting the “universal and absolute values” which it once sparked. As it demographically implodes, it might have reached its “twilight in history,” “losing its confidence in its own future,” this according to Benedict XV. In a passionate analysis of the current state of the old continent the Holy Father spoke to participants of a congress about the Treaties of Rome, titled “Values and Perspectives for Europe’s future,” sponsored by the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE).
In his address he highlighted the many positive aspects that European integration has brought about like the fall of the “curtain of injustice” between east and west, the reconciliation of Europe’s eastern and western “lungs”, the search of “economic integration” and an “appropriate institutional structure” for the European Union “which now includes 27 members and aspires to a global role in the world.”
Another important issue that the Pontiff highlighted was “the need for a better balance” between “wealth,” “competitiveness” and “the legitimate expectations of the poor and the marginalised.”
But Benedict XVI also slammed the attempt to build a “common house” by disregarding “the identities of the peoples” of the continent and dismissing Christianity “in which a vast majority continues to identify themselves.”
The Holy Father stressed the ambiguity that characterises the European Union in which the search for moral values and the common good takes place by means of “compromises” that involve agreements that are harmful to man’s nature,” thus betraying the role as “spark” and “yeast” of universal values the continent has always performed.
In the Pope’s opinion among the causes of the current situation, “pragmatism,” “relativism” and especially “secularism” stand out since because of them Christians see themselves denied “the right to intervene in public debates or at least with their contribution [treated] as an attempt to protect unjustified privileges.”
Finally, the Pontiff urged Christians to “strongly defend” the “truth of man” without being discouraged. “You know that with God’s help you must contribute to building a New Europe, one that is realistic without being cynical, rich in ideals, inspired by the everlasting and bright truth of the Gospel.”
Full text of the Pope’s speech:
Your Eminences, Venerable Brothers in the Episcopate, Members of Parliament, Ladies and Gentlemen!
I am particularly pleased to greet you in such great numbers at this Audience on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome on March 25, 1957. On that day an important step was taken in a Europe that had come out of World War Two beaten, a continent that sought a future of peace and greater social and economic prosperity in which nations would neither deny nor lose their identities.
I am pleased to greet Mgr Adrianus Herman van Luyn, Bishop of Rotterdam and Chairman of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union, and thank him for his kind words. I am pleased to greet the other prelates, the distinguished guests and all those who are taking part in the congress currently under way sponsored by COMECE in order to reflect on Europe.
Since that month of March
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