PRESENTATION OF DOCUMENT ON THE EUROPEAN SYNOD

VATICAN CITY, JUN 28, 2003 (VIS) - Today at noon in the Holy See Press Office, there was the presentation of the Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation "Ecclesia in Europa." Cardinals Jan P. Schotte, C.I.C.M., and Antonio Maria Ruoco Varela, respectively secretary general of the Synod of Bishops and archbishop of Madrid, Spain, spoke during the press conference, as did Archbishops Vincent Gerard Nichols of Birmingham, England and Jozef Miroslaw Zycinski of Lublin, Poland.

Cardinal Schotte recalled that the Synod of Bishops' Special Assembly for Europe, which took place from October 1 to 23, 1999 on the theme "Jesus Christ Alive in His Church, Source of Hope for Europe," was the second synod celebrated for this continent. The first one took place in 1991, shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Cardinal Ruoco Varela emphasized that the main theme of the document is hope. Along with the shadows, he said, "there are also signs of hope in Europe. The Church is convinced that it has a treasure to offer to Europe, really its only treasure and hope: Jesus Christ. It is the best and most specific contribution that can be made for the building of Europe. It knows from experience, since she has contributed to shaping Europe's identity in a decisive way. If the values that have given a place to the humanist culture of Europe have many roots, these influences have historically found in Christianity the strength to harmonize, consolidate and promote them."

Archbishop Nichols spoke of the significance of the post-syndol exhortation for the Catholic communities of Western Europe, which can be presented under three headings: "The clear statement of a vision and expectations for our European venture, and the part the Christian faith plays in it; The call to conversion and renewal, in communion and mission, for the Catholic Church; and the relationship it envisages between the shared public and political life of Europe and the faith - or faiths - of its people."

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