Vatican City, 25 November 2014 (VIS) –
Yesterday afternoon, as is his custom before a journey, at around
5.30 the Holy Father went to the Basilica of St. Mary Major to pray
before the image of the Virgin Salus Popoli Romani and to ask for her
intercession for his apostolic trip to the European institutions
based in Strasbourg. Francis prayed for around half an hour and left
before the Virgin a floral tribute in blue and yellow, the colours of
the European flag.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
The Pope to the European Parliament: dignity and transcendence, key concepts for the future of Europe
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”.
Francis at the Council of Europe: imposed peace is not enough – it must be loved, free and fraternal
Vatican City, 25 November 2014 (VIS) –
At midday the Holy Father proceeded by car to the seat of the Council
of Europe, where he met the authorities, including the secretary
general Thorbjørn Jagland, who accompanied him to the lobby of the
Committee of Ministers. This was followed by an exchange of gifts,
after which they entered the Great Hall where, following greetings
and the opening discourse by the secretary general, the Pontiff
addressed those present, thanking them for their invitation and for
their “work and contribution to peace in Europe through the
promotion of democracy, human rights and the rule of law”.
He continued, “This year the Council
of Europe celebrates its sixty-fifth anniversary. It was the
intention of its founders that the Council would respond to a
yearning for unity which, from antiquity, has characterised the life
of the continent. Frequently, however, in the course of the
centuries, the pretension to power has led to the dominance of
particularist movements. … The dream of the founders was to rebuild
Europe in a spirit of mutual service which today too, in a world more
prone to make demands than to serve, must be the cornerstone of the
Council of Europe’s mission on behalf of peace, freedom and human
dignity”.
On the other hand, the road to peace,
and avoiding a repetition of what occurred in the two World Wars of
the last century, “is to see others not as enemies to be opposed
but as brothers and sisters to be embraced. This entails an ongoing
process which may never be considered fully completed. This is
precisely what the founders grasped. They understood that peace was a
good which must continually be attained, one which calls for constant
vigilance. … Consequently, the founders voiced their desire to
advance slowly but surely with the passage of time. That is why the
founders established this body as a permanent institution. Pope Paul
VI, several years later, observed that 'the institutions which in the
juridical order and in international society have the task and merit
of proclaiming and preserving peace, will attain their lofty goal
only if they remain continually active, if they are capable of
creating peace, making peace, at every moment'. What is called for is
a constant work of humanisation, for 'it is not enough to contain
wars, to suspend conflicts ... An imposed peace, a utilitarian and
provisional peace, is not enough. Progress must be made towards a
peace which is loved, free and fraternal, founded, that is, on a
reconciliation of hearts'”.
Achieving the good of peace first calls
for education in peace, “banishing a culture of conflict aimed at
fear of others, marginalising those who think or live differently …
Tragically, peace continues all too often to be violated. This is the
case in so many parts of the world where conflicts of various sorts
continue to rage. It is also the case here in Europe, where tensions
persist”, he said. “Yet peace is also put to the test by other
forms of conflict, such as religious and international terrorism,
which displays deep disdain for human life and indiscriminately reaps
innocent victims. This phenomenon is unfortunately bankrolled by a
frequently unchecked traffic in weapons. The Church is convinced that
'the arms race is one of the greatest curses on the human race and
the harm it inflicts on the poor is more than can be endured'. Peace
is also violated by trafficking in human beings, the new slavery of
our age, which turns persons into merchandise for trade and deprives
its victims of all dignity. Not infrequently we see how
interconnected these phenomena are. The Council of Europe, through
its Committees and Expert Groups, has an important and significant
role to play in combating these forms of inhumanity. … Peace is not
merely the absence of war, conflicts and tensions. In the Christian
vision, peace is at once a gift of God and the fruit of free and
reasonable human acts aimed at pursuing the common good in truth and
love”.
“The path chosen by the Council of
Europe is above all that of promoting human rights, together with the
growth of democracy and the rule of law. This is a particularly
valuable undertaking, with significant ethical and social
implications, since the development of our societies and their
peaceful future coexistence depends on a correct understanding of
these terms and constant reflection on them. … In your presence
today, then, I feel obliged to stress the importance of Europe’s
continuing responsibility to contribute to the cultural development
of humanity.
“Throughout its history, Europe has
always reached for the heights, aiming at new and ambitious goals,
driven by an insatiable thirst for knowledge, development, progress,
peace and unity. … But in order to progress towards the future we
need the past, we need profound roots. We also need the courage not
to flee from the present and its challenges. We need memory,
courage, a sound and humane utopian vision. … Truth appeals to
conscience, which cannot be reduced to a form of conditioning.
Conscience is capable of recognising its own dignity and being open
to the absolute; it thus gives rise to fundamental decisions guided
by the pursuit of the good, for others and for one’s self; it is
itself the locus of responsible freedom. … It also needs to be kept
in mind that apart from the pursuit of truth, each individual becomes
the criterion for measuring himself and his own actions. The way is
thus opened to a subjectivistic assertion of rights, so that the
concept of human rights, which has an intrinsically universal import,
is replaced by an individualistic conception of rights”.
“This kind of individualism leads to
human impoverishment and cultural aridity, since it effectively cuts
off the nourishing roots on which the tree grows. Indifferent
individualism leads to the cult of opulence reflected in the
throwaway culture all around us. … And so today we are presented
with the image of a Europe which is hurt, not only by its many past
ordeals, but also by present-day crises which it no longer seems
capable of facing with its former vitality and energy; a Europe which
is a bit tired and pessimistic, besieged by events and winds of
change coming from other continents. … Europe should reflect on
whether its immense human, artistic, technical, social, political,
economic and religious patrimony is simply an artefact of the past,
or whether it is still capable of inspiring culture and displaying
its treasures to mankind as a whole. In providing an answer to this
question, the Council of Europe with its institutions has a role of
primary importance”.
“The history of Europe might lead us
to think somewhat naively of the continent as bipolar, or at most
tripolar … and thus to interpret the present and to look to the
future on the basis of this schema, which is a simplification born of
pretentions to power. But this is not the case today, and we can
legitimately speak of a 'multipolar' Europe. Its tensions – whether
constructive or divisive – are situated between multiple cultural,
religious and political poles. Europe today confronts the challenge
of creatively 'globalising' this multipolarity” which calls for
“striving to create a constructive harmony, one free of those
pretensions to power which, while appearing from a pragmatic
standpoint to make things easier, end up destroying the cultural and
religious distinctiveness of peoples”.
To speak of European multipolarity is
to speak of peoples which are born, grow and look to the future. The
task of globalising Europe’s multipolarity cannot be conceived by
appealing to the image of a sphere – in which all is equal and
ordered, but proves reductive inasmuch as every point is equidistant
from the centre – but rather, by the image of a polyhedron, in
which the harmonic unity of the whole preserves the particularity of
each of the parts”.
“The second challenge which I would
like to mention is transversality. … Were we to define the
continent today, we should speak of a Europe in dialogue, one which
puts a transversality of opinions and reflections at the service of a
harmonious union of peoples. To embark upon this path of transversal
communication requires not only generational empathy, but also an
historic methodology of growth. In Europe’s present political
situation, merely internal dialogue between the organisations
(whether political, religious or cultural) to which one belongs, ends
up being unproductive. Our times demand the ability to break out of
the structures which 'contain' our identity and to encounter others,
for the sake of making that identity more solid and fruitful in the
fraternal exchange of transversality. A Europe which can only
dialogue with limited groups stops halfway; it needs that youthful
spirit which can rise to the challenge of transversality”.
“In the light of all this, I am
gratified by the Council of Europe's desire to invest in
intercultural dialogue, including its religious dimension, through
the Exchanges on the religious dimension of intercultural dialogue.
Here is a valuable opportunity for open, respectful and enriching
exchange between persons and groups of different origins and ethnic,
linguistic and religious traditions, in a spirit of understanding and
mutual respect”.
“This way of thinking also casts
light on the contribution which Christianity can offer to the
cultural and social development of Europe today within the context of
a correct relationship between religion and society. … European
society as a whole cannot fail to benefit from a renewed interplay
between these two sectors, whether to confront a form of religious
fundamentalism which is above all inimical to God, or to remedy a
reductive rationality which does no honour to man. There are in fact
a number of pressing issues which I am convinced can lead to mutual
enrichment, issues on which the Catholic Church – particularly
through the Council of Episcopal Conferences of Europe (CCEE) – can
cooperate with the Council of Europe and offer an essential
contribution”.
“Similarly, the contemporary world
offers a number of other challenges requiring careful study and a
common commitment, beginning with the welcoming of migrants. … Then
too, there is the grave problem of work. … It is my profound hope
that the foundations will be laid for a new social and economic
cooperation, free of ideological pressures, capable of confronting a
globalised world while at the same time encouraging that sense of
solidarity and mutual charity which has been a distinctive feature of
Europe, thanks to the generous efforts of hundreds of men and women –
some of whom the Catholic Church considers saints – who over the
centuries have worked to develop the continent, both by
entrepreneurial activity and by works of education, welfare, and
human development. These works, above all, represent an important
point of reference for the many poor people living in Europe. How
many of them there are in our streets! They ask not only for the food
they need for survival, which is the most elementary of rights, but
also for a renewed appreciation of the value of their own life, which
poverty obscures, and a rediscovery of the dignity conferred by
work”.
“Finally, among the issues calling
for our reflection and our cooperation is the defence of the
environment, of this beloved planet earth. It is the greatest
resource which God has given us and is at our disposal not to be
disfigured, exploited, and degraded, but so that, in the enjoyment of
its boundless beauty, we can live in this world with dignity”.
“Pope Paul VI called the Church an
'expert in humanity'. In this world, following the example of Christ
and despite the sins of her sons and daughters, the Church seeks
nothing other than to serve and to bear witness to the truth. This
spirit alone guides us in supporting the progress of humanity. In
this spirit, the Holy See intends to continue its cooperation with
the Council of Europe, which today plays a fundamental role in
shaping the mentality of future generations of Europeans. This calls
for mutual engagement in a far-ranging reflection aimed at creating a
sort of new agora, in which all civic and religious groups can enter
into free exchange, while respecting the separation of sectors and
the diversity of positions, an exchange inspired purely by the desire
of truth and the advancement of the common good. For culture is
always born of reciprocal encounter which seeks to stimulate the
intellectual riches and creativity of those who take part in it; this
is not only a good in itself, it is also something beautiful. My hope
is that Europe, by rediscovering the legacy of its history and the
depth of its roots, and by embracing its lively multipolarity and the
phenomenon of a transversality in dialogue, will rediscover that
youthfulness of spirit which has made this continent fruitful and
great”.
The Pope receives the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt
Vatican City, 25 November 2014 (VIS) –
Yesterday, 24 November, Pope Francis received in audience Abdel
Fattah Al-Sisi, president of the Arab Republic of Egypt. Following
this encounter the president met with Cardinal Secretary of State
Pietro Parolin.
During the cordial exchange,
discussions focused on the situation in the Egyptian nation,
highlighting the closeness and solidarity of the Church to all the
people of Egypt during this period of political transition. At the
same time, hope was expressed that within the framework of guarantees
enshrined by the new Constitution in terms of the safeguard of human
rights and religious freedom, the peaceful coexistence among all
components of society may be strengthened and the path to
inter-religious dialogue may continue to be pursued.
Furthermore, themes of common interest
were discussed with particular reference to the role of the country
in the promotion of peace and stability in the Middle East and North
Africa. In this regard, it was reiterated that dialogue and
negotiation are the only options to put an end to the conflicts and
to the violence that endanger defenceless populations and cause the
loss of human lives.
The Pope to convoke a conference in Haiti in January 2015, five years after the earthquake that devastated the island
Vatican City, 25 November 2014 (VIS) –
This morning the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum” announced that its
president, Cardinal Robert Sarah, will visit Haiti from 25 to 29
November, five years on from the earthquake that brought devastation
to the island and its population, causing around 230 thousand deaths.
The main aim of the trip is to bring a sign of concrete spiritual
closeness to those who are still engaged in reconstruction works, and
to inaugurate the “Notre Dame des Anges” school in Leogane, built
through the work of the local Church and with the coordination of the
apostolic nunciature.
On the occasion of this trip, the Holy
Father has expressed his wish to convoke a conference on Haiti, to be
held in the Vatican on 10 January 2015, to ensure that attention
remains focused on this humanitarian catastrophe, the impact of which
is still felt, and to emphasise the Church's closeness to the Haitian
people. The meeting will be organised by the Pontifical Commission
for Latin America and the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum”, in
collaboration with local bishops.
Meanwhile, on 26 November, during his
visit to the island, Cardinal Sarah will meet with representatives of
Caritas Haiti, Msgr. Erick Touissant, the president and the director,
Fr. Herve Francois, as well as other Caritas representatives present
on the island. He will then meet with other Catholic humanitarian
organisations working in Haiti.
On 27 November he will participate in
the opening of the school “Notre Dame des Anges” in Leogane,
managed by the Society of Jesus and built using funds sent directly
by the Holy Father during the five years following the earthquake. On
the same day he will meet with the local authorities, and in
particular with the president of the Republic of Haiti.
On 28 November the prelate will meet
with the Episcopal Conference of Haiti, the priests, religious and
laypersons who offer their assistance not only in the reconstruction
of infrastructure but also in the full human development of the
population. The Cardinal will communicate the Pope's special
encouragement to all to continue their work with dedication.
Audiences
Vatican City, 25 November 2014 (VIS) –On the afternoon of Monday 24 November,
the Holy Father received in audience Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri,
director general of the Islamic Educational Cultural and Scientific
Organisation, and entourage.
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