Pope to EU Ambassador:
Christian values continue
to shape European civilization
VATICAN CITY, 19 OCT 2009 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father received the Letters of Credence of Yves Gazzo, head of the delegation to the Holy See of the Commission of the European Communities
[also known as the European Commission].
In his address, the Pope referred to the values of the European Union which, he said, "are the fruit of a long and complex history in which, it cannot be denied, Christianity has played a primordial role. The equal dignity of all human beings, the freedom of expression of faith as the basis of all other civil liberties, peace as a decisive element of the common good, human development (intellectual, social and economic) as a divine vocation and the sense of history deriving therefrom, are all central elements of the Christian revelation that continues to mould European civilisation".
"When the Church mentions the Christian roots of Europe", the Holy Father went on, "she does not seek a privileged status for herself. She wishes to enact historical memory, first and foremost by recalling a truth which is suffering ever greater neglect: the decisively Christian inspiration of the founding fathers of the European Union".
Furthermore, "she wishes to make it clear that the legacy of values comes chiefly from Christian heritage, which continues to nourish Europe today".
"These values are not some anarchic or random assembly, rather they form a coherent whole which is historically ordered and regimented on the basis of a precise view of mankind".
The Holy Father then went on to highlight the risk of such values being "manipulated by individuals and pressure groups who seek to make their particular interests prevail to the detriment of an ambitious collective project, which is what Europeans hope to see and which aims at the common good of all inhabitants of the continent, and of the whole world".
"It is important", he went on, "that Europe does not allow her model of civilisation to fray, thread by thread. Her generosity must not be stifled by individualism or utilitarianism. The immense intellectual, cultural, economic riches of the continent will continue to bear fruit so long as they are nourished by a transcendental view of human beings, which is the greatest treasure of European heritage".
"This mainly involves the search for a just and delicate balance between economic efficiency and social needs, the protection of the environment and, above all, the indispensable and necessary support for human life from conception to natural death, and for the family founded on marriage between a man and a woman".
Europe will not truly be itself, said the Holy Father, "if she does not conserve the originality which constitutes her greatness and which tomorrow may make her one of the main players in promoting the integral development of peoples, something the Catholic Church considers as being the only possible way to remedy the imbalances of our world".
Benedict XVI assured the new head of delegation that the Holy See "follows the activities of European institutions with great respect and attention, and hopes that, with their work and creativity, they may honour Europe which, more than a continent, is a 'spiritual home'".
"The Church", he concluded, "wishes to 'accompany' the construction of European unity. For this reason she takes the liberty of recalling the fundamental and constituent values of European society, that they may be promoted for the good of everyone".
Here is a translation of the Holy Father's remarks, delivered in French, to the new ambassador:
THE HOLY FATHER'S REMARKS
Mr. Ambassador,
I am happy to receive Your Excellency aND to accredit you as the representative of the Commission of the European Communities to the Holy See. I would appreciate it if you could express to H.E. Jose Barroso, who has just been re-elected President of the Commission, my cordial wishes for himself and for the new mandate which has been given to him, as well as for all his collaborators.
This year, Europe commemorates the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. I wished to mark this event specially with my visit to the Czech REpublic. In that land which was sorely tested by the yoke of a painful ideology, I was able to give thanks for the gift of freedom recovered which has allowed the European continent to restore its integrity and unity.
You have just described, Mr. Ambassador, the reality of the European Union as "a zone of peace and stability which brings together 27 states with the same fundamental values". It is a happy presentation.
Nonetheless, it is right to point out that the European Union was not endowed with these values, but that these were the shared values that caused it to be born and which have been the gravitational force that attracted towards the founding nations those others which succeessively joined it in the course of time.
These values are the outcome of a long and sinuous history in which - no one will deny it - Christianity played a foreground role.
The equal dignity of all human beings, the freedom of the act of faith as the root of all other civilian liberties, peace as a decisive element of the common good, human development - intellectual, social and economic - as a divine vocation (cf. Caritas in Veritate, n. 16-19), and the historical significance that flows from all this are also the central elements of Christian Revelation which continue to shape European civilization.
When the Church recalls the Christian roots of Europe, it is not looking for a privileged status for itself. It wishes to exercise historical memory in recalling first of all one truth - which is increasingly ignored - namely, the definitively Christian inspiration of the Founding Fathers of the European Union.
More profoundly, the Church also wishes to manifest that the firm base of these values comes principally from the Christian heritage which continues to nourish it.
These common values do not constitute an anarchic or random aggregate, but they form a coherent ensemble which is well-ordered and articulated historically, starting from a precise anthropological vision.
Can Europe ignore the original organic principle of its values which have revealed to man both his eminent dignity and the fact that his personal calling opens him to all other men with whom he is called on to constitute one single family?
In allowing herself to forget this, does she not risk seeing these great and beautiful values come into competition or conflict with each other?
Or are not these values at risk of being instrumentalized by individuals and pressure groups wanting to promote their special interests to the detriment of any ambitious common plan - which Europeans expect - concerned with the common good of the inhabitants of the Continent, and of the whole world together?
This danger has been perceived and denounced by a number of observers coming from very different horizons. It is important that Europe does not allow its model of civilization to fall apart, piece by piece. Its original momentum should not be stifled by individualism or utilitarianism.
The immense intellectual, cultural and economic resources of the continent will continue to bear fruit it they remain fertilized by the transcendent vision of the human being that is the most precious treasure of the European heritage.
This humanist tradition, in which there are several families of thought that are also quite diverse, makes Europe capable of facing the challenges of tomorrow and to respond to the expectations of its population.
These have to do principally with the search for the correct but delicate equilibrium between economic efficiency and social demands, of safeguarding the environment, and above all, the indispensable anc necessary support of human life from conception to natural death and of the family founded on marriage between a man and woman.
Europe will not be truly herself if it can conserve the originality which made it great, and which can make her, tomorrow, one of the major players in the promotion of the integral development of persons that the Catholic Church considers to be the only way that lends itself to correcting the imbalances present in our world.
For all these reasons, Mr. Ambassador, the Holy See follows with respect and great attention the activities of the European institutions, with the hope that these, through their work and crativity, may honor the Europe which is more than a continent, but a 'spiritual home' (cf. Address to civilian authorities and the diplomatic corps, Prague, Sept. 26, 2009).
The Church desires to be a companion in the construction of the European Union. That is why she allows herself to remind the Union of the founding and constitutive values of European society so that they may be promoted for the good of all.
At this time when you begin your mission to the Holy See, I wish to renew the expression of my satisfaction for the excellent relations between the Ruopean communities and the Holy See, and I extend to you, Mr. Ambassador, my best wishes for the achievement of your noble responsibility. You can be sure that you will find the welcome and the understanding that you may need from my collaborators.
On your Excellency, your family and your co-workers, I invoke the abundance of divine blessings.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 20/10/2009 15:47]