Vatican City, 25 November 2014 (VIS) –
Europe's future depends on the rediscovery of the vital and
indissoluble nexus between dignity and transcendence, as otherwise it
risks slowly losing its soul and the humanistic spirit that loves and
defends. This was Pope Francis' message to the members of the
European Parliament during his visit to the legislative body of the
European Union (EU) in Strasbourg: it is the only international
organisation directly elected by 508 million citizens, and composed
of 751 deputies elected in the 28 member states of the EU.
The Holy Father left Rome by air
shortly before 8 a.m. and arrived in Strasbourg in 10 a.m., where he
was greeted by the French Minister of State for European Affairs, two
deputy presidents, various representatives of the civil authorities,
including the mayor of Strasbourg, Roland Ries, and local
ecclesiastical figures. Pope Francis then travelled by car to the
seat of the Parliament where he was received by President Martin
Schulz and, following presentations by the two delegations of the 14
members of the Bureau of the Parliament and the 8 presidents of the
political groups of the Assembly, he signed the Gold Book of the
Parliament with the following phrase: “I hope that the European
Parliament is always the place where each member contributes to
ensure that Europe, mindful of her past, looks with confidence to the
future to live with hope in the present”.
After attending the Solemn Session of
the Parliament and listening to the speech by President Schulz, Pope
Francis addressed the Assembly, recalling that his visit takes place
over a quarter of a century after that of Pope John Paul II, and many
things have changed in Europe and throughout the world in the
intervening period. “The opposing blocs which then divided the
continent in two no longer exist, and gradually the hope is being
realised that 'Europe, endowed with sovereign and free institutions,
will one day reach the full dimensions that geography, and even more,
history have given it'. As the European Union has expanded, the world
itself has become more complex and ever changing; increasingly
interconnected and global, it has, as a consequence, become less and
less 'Eurocentric'. Despite a larger and stronger Union, Europe seems
to give the impression of being somewhat elderly and haggard, feeling
less and less a protagonist in a world which frequently regards it
with aloofness, mistrust and even, at times, suspicion.
“In addressing you today, I would
like, as a pastor, to offer a message of hope and encouragement to
all the citizens of Europe. It is a message of hope, based on the
confidence that our problems can become powerful forces for unity in
working to overcome all those fears which Europe – together with
the entire world – is presently experiencing. It is a message of
hope in the Lord, who turns evil into good and death into life. It is
a message of encouragement to return to the firm conviction of the
founders of the European Union, who envisioned a future based on the
capacity to work together in bridging divisions and in fostering
peace and fellowship between all the peoples of this continent. At
the heart of this ambitious political project was confidence in man,
not so much as a citizen or an economic agent, but in man, in men and
women as persons endowed with transcendent dignity”.
The Pope stressed the close bond
between these two words: “dignity” and “transcendent”.
“'Dignity' was the pivotal concept in
the process of rebuilding which followed the Second World War”, he
affirmed. “Our recent past has been marked by the concern to
protect human dignity, in contrast to the manifold instances of
violence and discrimination which, even in Europe, took place in the
course of the centuries. Recognition of the importance of human
rights came about as the result of a lengthy process, entailing much
suffering and sacrifice, which helped shape an awareness of the
unique worth of each individual human person. This awareness was
grounded not only in historical events, but above all in European
thought, characterised as it is by an enriching encounter whose
'distant springs are many, coming from Greece and Rome, from Celtic,
Germanic and Slavic sources, and from Christianity which profoundly
shaped them', thus forging the very concept of the 'person'.
“Today, the promotion of human rights
is central to the commitment of the European Union to advance the
dignity of the person, both within the Union and in its relations
with other countries. This is an important and praiseworthy
commitment, since there are still too many situations in which human
beings are treated as objects whose conception, configuration and
utility can be programmed, and who can then be discarded when no
longer useful, due to weakness, illness or old age”.
Promoting the dignity of the person, he
continued, “means recognising that he or she possesses inalienable
rights which no one may take away arbitrarily, much less for the sake
of economic interests”, yet “care must be taken not to fall into
certain errors which can arise from a misunderstanding of the concept
of human rights and from its misuse. Today there is a tendency to
claim ever broader individual rights; underlying this is a conception
of the human person as detached from all social and anthropological
contexts. ... The equally essential and complementary concept of duty
no longer seems to be linked to such a concept of rights. As a
result, the rights of the individual are upheld, without regard for
the fact that each human being is part of a social context wherein
his or her rights and duties are bound up with those of others and
with the common good of society itself”.
The Pontiff emphasised, “I believe,
therefore, that it is vital to develop a culture of human rights
which wisely links the individual, or better, the personal aspect, to
that of the common good, of the ‘all of us’ made up of
individuals, families and intermediate groups who together constitute
society. … To speak of transcendent human dignity thus means
appealing to human nature, to our innate capacity to distinguish good
from evil, to that 'compass' deep within our hearts, which God has
impressed upon all creation. Above all, it means regarding human
beings not as absolutes, but as beings in relation. In my view, one
of the most common diseases in Europe today is the loneliness typical
of those who have no connection with others. This is especially true
of the elderly, who are often abandoned to their fate, and also in
the young who lack clear points of reference and opportunities for
the future. It is also seen in the many poor who dwell in our cities
and in the disorientation of immigrants who came here seeking a
better future”.
This loneliness, he remarked, “has
become more acute as a result of the economic crisis, whose effects
continue to have tragic consequences for the life of society. In
recent years, as the European Union has expanded, there has been
growing mistrust on the part of citizens towards institutions
considered to be aloof, engaged in laying down rules perceived as
insensitive to individual peoples, if not downright harmful. In many
quarters we encounter a general impression of weariness and ageing,
of a Europe which is … no longer fertile and vibrant. As a result,
the great ideas which once inspired Europe seem to have lost their
attraction, only to be replaced by the bureaucratic technicalities of
its institutions. Together with this, we encounter certain rather
selfish lifestyles, marked by an opulence which is no longer
sustainable and frequently indifferent to the world around us, and
especially to the poorest of the poor. To our dismay we see technical
and economic questions dominating political debate, to the detriment
of genuine concern for human beings. Men and women risk being reduced
to mere cogs in a machine that treats them as items of consumption to
be exploited, with the result that – as is so tragically apparent –
whenever a human life no longer proves useful for that machine, it is
discarded with few qualms, as in the case of the terminally ill, the
elderly who are abandoned and uncared for, and children who are
killed in the womb. This is the great mistake made 'when technology
is allowed to take over'; the result is a confusion between ends and
means. It is the inevitable consequence of a 'throwaway culture' and
an uncontrolled consumerism”.
Francis reminded the members of
parliament that they are called to a great mission which may however
appear impossible: tending to the needs of individuals and peoples.
“To care for individuals and peoples in need means protecting
memory and hope; it means taking responsibility for the present with
its situations of utter marginalisation and anguish, and being
capable of bestowing dignity upon it. How, then, can hope in the
future be restored, so that, beginning with the younger generation,
there can be a rediscovery of that confidence needed to pursue the
great ideal of a united and peaceful Europe, a Europe which is
creative and resourceful, respectful of rights and conscious of its
duties?”
To answer this question, the Pope
referred to Raphael's celebrated fresco of the “School of Athens”,
found in the Vatican. “Plato and Aristotle are in the centre.
Plato’s finger is pointed upward, to the world of ideas, to the
sky, to heaven as we might say. Aristotle holds his hand out before
him, towards the viewer, towards the world, concrete reality. This
strikes me as a very apt image of Europe and her history, made up of
the constant interplay between heaven and earth, where the sky
suggests that openness to the transcendent – to God – which has
always distinguished the peoples of Europe, while the earth
represents Europe’s practical and concrete ability to confront
situations and problems. The future of Europe depends on the recovery
of the vital connection between these two elements. A Europe which is
no longer open to the transcendent dimension of life is a Europe
which risks slowly losing its own soul and that 'humanistic spirit'
which it still loves and defends. … I consider to be fundamental
not only the legacy that Christianity has offered in the past to the
social and cultural formation of the continent, but above all the
contribution which it desires to offer today, and in the future, to
Europe’s growth. This contribution does not represent a threat to
the secularity of states or to the independence of the institutions
of the European Union, but rather an enrichment. This is clear from
the ideals which shaped Europe from the beginning, such as peace,
subsidiarity and reciprocal solidarity, and a humanism centred on
respect for the dignity of the human person”.
Pope Francis went on to reiterate the
readiness of the Holy See and the Catholic Church, through the
Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (COMECE), to
engage in “meaningful, open and transparent dialogue with the
institutions of the European Union. I am likewise convinced that a
Europe which is capable of appreciating its religious roots and of
grasping their fruitfulness and potential, will be all the more
immune to the many forms of extremism spreading in the world today,
not least as a result of the great vacuum of ideals which we are
currently witnessing in the West, since 'it is precisely man’s
forgetfulness of God, and his failure to give him glory, which gives
rise to violence'. Here I cannot fail to recall the many instances of
injustice and persecution which daily afflict religious minorities,
and Christians in particular, in various parts of our world.
Communities and individuals today find themselves subjected to
barbaric acts of violence: they are evicted from their homes and
native lands, sold as slaves, killed, beheaded, crucified or burned
alive, under the shameful and complicit silence of so many.
“The motto of the European Union is
United in Diversity. Unity, however, does not mean uniformity of
political, economic and cultural life, or ways of thinking. ... I
consider Europe as a family of peoples who will sense the closeness
of the institutions of the Union when these latter are able wisely to
combine the desired ideal of unity with the diversity proper to each
people, cherishing particular traditions, acknowledging its past
history and its roots, liberated from so many manipulations and
phobias. … At the same time, the specific features of each one
represent an authentic richness to the degree that they are placed at
the service of all. … Ladies and Gentlemen, Members of the European
Parliament, within this dynamic of unity and particularity, yours is
the responsibility of keeping democracy alive for the peoples of
Europe. It is no secret that a conception of unity seen as uniformity
strikes at the vitality of the democratic system, weakening the rich,
fruitful and constructive interplay of organisations and political
parties. … Keeping democracy alive in Europe requires avoiding the
many globalising tendencies to dilute reality: namely, angelic forms
of purity, dictatorships of relativism, brands of ahistorical
fundamentalism, ethical systems lacking kindness, and intellectual
discourse bereft of wisdom”.
Keeping democracies alive “is a
challenge in the present historic moment. The true strength of our
democracies – understood as expressions of the political will of
the people – must not be allowed to collapse under the pressure of
multinational interests which are not universal, which weaken them
and turn them into uniform systems of economic power at the service
of unseen empires. This is one of the challenges which history sets
before you today. To give Europe hope means more than simply
acknowledging the centrality of the human person; it also implies
nurturing the gifts of each man and woman. It means investing in
individuals and in those settings in which their talents are shaped
and flourish. The first area surely is that of education, beginning
with the family, the fundamental cell and most precious element of
any society. ... Then too, stressing the importance of the family not
only helps to give direction and hope to new generations, but also to
many of our elderly, who are often forced to live alone and are
effectively abandoned because there is no longer the warmth of a
family hearth able to accompany and support them. Alongside the
family, there are the various educational institutes: schools and
universities. … Young people today are asking for a suitable and
complete education which can enable them to look to the future with
hope instead of disenchantment”.
The Pontiff went on to speak about the
defence of the environment, remarking that “Europe has always been
in the vanguard of efforts to promote ecology. Our earth needs
constant concern and attention. Each of us has a personal
responsibility to care for creation, this precious gift which God has
entrusted to us. This means, on the one hand, that nature is at our
disposal, to enjoy and use properly. Yet it also means that we are
not its masters. Stewards, but not masters. … Respect for the
environment, however, means more than not destroying it; it also
means using it for good purposes. I am thinking above all of the
agricultural sector, which provides sustenance and nourishment to our
human family. It is intolerable that millions of people around the
world are dying of hunger while tons of food are discarded each day
from our tables. Respect for nature also means recognising that man
himself is a fundamental part of it. Along with an environmental
ecology, there is also need of that human ecology which consists in
respect for the person, which I have wanted to emphasise in
addressing you today”.
The second area in which talent
flourishes is work. “The time has come to promote policies which
create employment, but above all there is a need to restore dignity
to labour by ensuring proper working conditions. This implies, on the
one hand, finding new ways of joining market flexibility with the
need for stability and security on the part of workers; these are
indispensable for their human development. It also implies favouring
a suitable social context geared not to the exploitation of persons,
but to ensuring, precisely through labour, their ability to create a
family and educate their children”.
With regard to the need fro a united
response to question of migration, Francis exclaimed, “We cannot
allow the Mediterranean to become a vast cemetery! … The absence of
mutual support within the European Union runs the risk of encouraging
particularistic solutions to the problem, solutions which fail to
take into account the human dignity of immigrants, and thus
contribute to slave labour and continuing social tensions. Europe
will be able to confront the problems associated with immigration
only if it is capable of clearly asserting its own cultural identity
and enacting adequate legislation to protect the rights of European
citizens and to ensure the acceptance of immigrants. Only if it is
capable of adopting fair, courageous and realistic policies which can
assist the countries of origin in their own social and political
development and in their efforts to resolve internal conflicts –
the principal cause of this phenomenon – rather than adopting
policies motivated by self-interest, which increase and feed such
conflicts.
“Awareness of one’s own identity is
also necessary for entering into a positive dialogue with the States
which have asked to become part of the Union in the future. I am
thinking especially of those in the Balkans, for which membership in
the European Union could be a response to the desire for peace in a
region which has suffered greatly from past conflicts. Awareness of
one’s own identity is also indispensable for relations with other
neighbouring countries, particularly with those bordering the
Mediterranean, many of which suffer from internal conflicts, the
pressure of religious fundamentalism and the reality of global
terrorism.
“It is incumbent upon you, as
legislators, to protect and nurture Europe’s identity, so that its
citizens can experience renewed confidence in the institutions of the
Union and in its underlying project of peace and friendship. … I
encourage you to work to make Europe rediscover the best of itself.
An anonymous second-century author wrote that 'Christians are to the
world what the soul is to the body'. The function of the soul is to
support the body, to be its conscience and its historical memory. A
two-thousand-year-old history links Europe and Christianity. It is a
history not free of conflicts and errors, but one constantly driven
by the desire to work for the good of all. We see this in the beauty
of our cities, and even more in the beauty of the many works of
charity and constructive cooperation throughout this continent. This
history, in large part, must still be written. It is our present and
our future. It is our identity. Europe urgently needs to recover its
true features in order to grow, as its founders intended, in peace
and harmony, since it is not yet free of conflicts”.
“Dear Members of the European
Parliament”, he concluded, “the time has come to work together in
building a Europe which revolves not around the economy, but around
the sacredness of the human person, around inalienable values. In
building a Europe which courageously embraces its past and
confidently looks to its future in order fully to experience the hope
of its present. The time has come for us to abandon the idea of a
Europe which is fearful and self-absorbed, in order to revive and
encourage a Europe of leadership, a repository of science, art,
music, human values, and faith too. A Europe which contemplates the
heavens and pursues lofty ideals. A Europe which cares for, defends
and protects man, every man and woman. A Europe which bestrides the
earth surely and securely, a precious point of reference for all
humanity”.
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