VATICAN CITY, 10 NOV 2008 (VIS) - On 6 November Archbishop Jean-Louis Brugues O.P., secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, participated as Holy See representative to the Council of Europe's fourth seminar of ministers of education of States signatories to the European Cultural Convention. The meeting had as its theme "teaching memory: living in a Europe of freedom and law" and took place in the German city of Nuremberg-Dachau from 5 to 7 November.
The archbishop indicated how the site chosen for the meeting is replete with memories that have marked European history: "the great Nazi rallies, but also the trials of those who committed serious crimes against humanity. The events this city witnessed speak to us of the drama of an age in which freedom and justice were denied and the dignity of man was trampled underfoot.
"Recalling the drama of the victims and paying homage to their memory", he added, "invites everyone to become aware that those dark events are a call to construct the present and future of our continent so that such tragedies are never repeated, either in Europe or anywhere in the world. On this subject, the Holy See appreciates the commitment of States signatories to the European Cultural Convention to ensure that, by teaching memory, a contribution may be made not only to knowledge of the past, but also to mutual understanding, to dialogue, to prevention of crimes against humanity, and to consolidating a Europe of freedom and law
"Law and freedom are essential if we are to avoid relapses into totalitarianism". Law, however, must be "based on an exalted sense of dignity and justice. ... We risk falling once again into barbarism if we do not have a passion for justice and freedom and if we do not undertake, each in accordance with his or her abilities, to ensure that evil does not prevail over good, as happened for millions of children of the Jewish people".
Archbishop Brugues went on to say that "we must redouble our efforts to free mankind from the spectres of racism, exclusion, marginalisation, subjection and xenophobia, also extirpating the roots of these evils which insinuate themselves into modern society and undermine the foundations of peaceful human coexistence".
"The duty of memory must thus continue to move our hearts and minds, bringing reason to recognise evil and reject it, to arouse in us the courage of goodness and of resistance to evil . ... Passing time brings the progressive loss of firsthand witnesses of that tragedy. This must incite us to greater efforts in order to conserve the memory and transmit it to new generations. We must, then, encourage such initiatives as the 'Day of memory and of the prevention of crimes against humanity', which contribute to keeping the memory of those tragic events alive".
DELSS/MEMORY/NUREMBERG:BRUGUES VIS 20081110 (480)
The archbishop indicated how the site chosen for the meeting is replete with memories that have marked European history: "the great Nazi rallies, but also the trials of those who committed serious crimes against humanity. The events this city witnessed speak to us of the drama of an age in which freedom and justice were denied and the dignity of man was trampled underfoot.
"Recalling the drama of the victims and paying homage to their memory", he added, "invites everyone to become aware that those dark events are a call to construct the present and future of our continent so that such tragedies are never repeated, either in Europe or anywhere in the world. On this subject, the Holy See appreciates the commitment of States signatories to the European Cultural Convention to ensure that, by teaching memory, a contribution may be made not only to knowledge of the past, but also to mutual understanding, to dialogue, to prevention of crimes against humanity, and to consolidating a Europe of freedom and law
"Law and freedom are essential if we are to avoid relapses into totalitarianism". Law, however, must be "based on an exalted sense of dignity and justice. ... We risk falling once again into barbarism if we do not have a passion for justice and freedom and if we do not undertake, each in accordance with his or her abilities, to ensure that evil does not prevail over good, as happened for millions of children of the Jewish people".
Archbishop Brugues went on to say that "we must redouble our efforts to free mankind from the spectres of racism, exclusion, marginalisation, subjection and xenophobia, also extirpating the roots of these evils which insinuate themselves into modern society and undermine the foundations of peaceful human coexistence".
"The duty of memory must thus continue to move our hearts and minds, bringing reason to recognise evil and reject it, to arouse in us the courage of goodness and of resistance to evil . ... Passing time brings the progressive loss of firsthand witnesses of that tragedy. This must incite us to greater efforts in order to conserve the memory and transmit it to new generations. We must, then, encourage such initiatives as the 'Day of memory and of the prevention of crimes against humanity', which contribute to keeping the memory of those tragic events alive".
DELSS/MEMORY/NUREMBERG:BRUGUES VIS 20081110 (480)
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