Europe needs a "new beginning for Christianity"

(Vatican Radio) The Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE) concluded its annual Plenary Assembly yesterday in St. Gallen, Switzerland. At the end of their work, the participants issued a statement saying Christians feel their responsibility as citizens, and are endowed with a heritage of truth that has been proven by two thousand years of service, goodness and civilization.

The Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, Cardinal Seán Brady, said the meeting provided an opportunity for the bishops to realize they are facing the same issues.

“There’s a commonality of the problem,” the Cardinal said. “It’s much the same problem which confronts each one of us: The problem of finding a place for religion in the modern public square. We have tried a lot of ‘isms’ – materialism, capitalism – they all seem to have failed, so I think the problem is to once more to get a new beginning for Christianity.”

Another participant, the Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols, told Vatican Radio there is a large “silent voice, finding its voice,” which wishes to live the Catholic Faith.

“We can pay all of our attention to the noisy ones or give more attention to those who want to live their faith, and there are very many,” said Archbishop Nichols.

Listen to the full interview by Mario Galgano with Cardinal Brady and Archbishop Nichols: