Europe, 09 May 2013: To all those who today live in the European continent and who
find themselves in difficulties due to the current economic crisis, who feel alone,
who have lost or are looking for work and who, due to the serious crisis in meaning
and in faith, struggle to look to the future, and to young people in particular, we
want to say that the Church in Europe is close and invites you not to lose hope, said
the Council of Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE) in a communique on Thursday marking
Europe Day.
In this Year of Faith we recall with total conviction what Blessed
John Paul II said ten years ago, in the Exhortation Ecclesia in Europa: “Jesus Christ
is the source of hope for Europe”. At the same time, we call on everyone not to
allow fear and selfishness to cloud the charity, which has always characterised our
continent, but instead to rediscover the importance of the family, the value of the
gift and welcome, being a neighbour to those most in need, CCEE further stated. We
take this opportunity, added CCEE communique, to thank all those who, moved by faith,
are promoters of works of charity and aid at the local, national and international
levels. The help they give is a prompt and concrete answer to many material needs,
but is also the sign of God’s love who through Jesus Christ became close to everybody. Furthermore,
we invite the Christians of Europe to grasp the opportunity of Europe Day – of this
“community of destiny” as Robert Schuman called it on 9 May 1950 – to reflect on their
commitment in the construction of a European society open to the Absolute and characterised
by truth, justice, solidarity and freedom: pillars of peace as they were defined by
Pope John XXIII, fifty years ago, in Pacem in terris. Source: VR Sedoc