Two thousand Gypsies in audience with the Pope

Members of the Roma, Sinti, Manouches, Kale, Yenish and Travellers communities from 20 European are taking part in a pilgrimage to Rome to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of their patron, Blessed Ceferino Gimenez - including an audience with the Pope.

One of the main organisers of the event is the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People. The Vatican office has long been at the forefront of promoting the rights of Gypsy communities and fostering integration in broader European society. Emer McCarthy spoke to Council President, Archbishop Antonio Maria Vegliò. Listen:

Q: Would you like to tell us where this idea of the Holy Father to receive in audience a delegation of European Gypsies came from?

The idea came after a private Audience that the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI granted me. In his pastoral solicitude for the poor, the Holy Father manifested his particular concern about the Gypsy minority and expressed his desire to meet them in the Vatican, thus entrusting the promotion of such event to this Pontifical Council. Our Dicastery then requested the collaboration of the Foundation “Migrantes” of the Italian Episcopal Conference, as well as of the Diocese of Rome and the Community of Sant'Egidio. The group of Gypsies that we expect consists of about 2000 persons, who will be here in Rome, also to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the martyrdom and the 150 years of the birth of Blessed Zeffirino Giménez Malla (1861-1936). He is the first gypsy martyr of the faith, of the Spanish origin.

Q: What significance do you think this gesture of the Pope assumes in a European context where many countries are working to promote the integration of Gypsies, but suspicions and anti-gypsy episodes persist?

As the Holy Father is keen to emphasize, the Church has the mission to be hospitable and to help Christians to overcome any feeling of mistrust, fear, or worse, rejection of the Gypsies. The Church, therefore, supports every good effort, with confidence, aimed at promoting the recognition of the minority rights of the Gypsies. In addition, she advocates the authentic integration of this people and tries to help them integrate into the society, while maintaining their cultural identity. The Church shall not, then, cease to remind that they too are called to assume their proper responsibilities.

In recent decades, there has been among young gypsies a certain growing awareness of their proper dignity and desire for greater involvement in decisions that affect them. It is a reality, also perceived by the Council of Europe and other International Organizations, which offer support- programs to the Gypsy people to emerge from exclusion and to participate fully, in the rights and duties of the society. Certainly, there is still much to be done to make more useful the tools available to International Organizations and States for this purpose.

Q: At what stage remains the development of a specific pastoral care, dedicated to Gypsy populations?

The specific pastoral care of Gypsies has the fundamental task of evangelizing and bringing Christ to them. But, this does not mean that the Church can shirk her responsibility in the social realm and duty to denounce the poor conditions they live in and discriminations they are subjected to. In the face of challenges rising from the Gypsy community, then the Church is called to find adequate new ways and methods to be effective in her ministry. One of the ways of doing so, is to insist on the quality of relations between Gypsies and the society, which must be based on mutual respect, personal knowledge, acceptance and recognition of legitimate differences. It is certainly not an easy task, but pastoral workers, priests, deacons and religious men/women do so with enthusiasm. Fruits of this pastoral work can already be seen in the number of vocations emerging from the Gypsy populations. For example, a few months ago the Holy Father nominated the first gypsy Bishop in India, and there are 2 Vicars general, 25 priests and 30 religious nuns. In fact, even the local Churches are becoming more sensitive to this specific pastoral care and they do cooperate with International Organizations, Religious Congregations and Movements in this regard.

Q: What is the best way that you would propose to promote the integration of Gypsies in European countries?

Integration is not a one-way process. The society as well as Gypsies should be willing to follow the paths of dialogue and mutual enrichment, which allow us to evaluate and embrace positive aspects of each side.

Among the factors that can contribute to starting the integration of Gypsies, enabling them to participate actively in social, economic and political life, I would like to mention, among others, training, education and professional qualification. Governments and local authorities already offer them access to school education, which will contribute to develop mutual understanding and acceptance among children and young Gypsies and non-Gypsies. The European Union has launched a training program of social and cultural mediators for Gypsies.

The Church has been active in this field through some Religious Congregations and ecclesial Movements. For example, in Europe there are now 14 Salesian communities, working to make children and young Gypsies protagonists of their own human, social and Christian development. I can also mention the education Centres such as Bardejov and Košice in Slovakia, Kazincbarczika in Hungary, Stara Zagora in Bulgaria, Havivarov in the Czech Republic and Tirana in Albania.

Moreover, to promote their social integration, it is necessary to raise awareness, aimed at creating a positive image of the Gypsies, of their cultural identity and values, such as the sense of the family, respect for elders, love for music, dance, etc..

Since this is a process that involves two parties, I would insist that it is also necessary on the part of Gypsies a great deal of trust, commitment and participation.