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INSTRUMENTUM
LABORIS
Synod of Europe II
INDEX
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
PART I :EUROPE TOWARDS THE THIRD MILLENNIUM
PART II: JESUS CHRIST ALIVE IN HIS CHURCH
PART III: JESUS CHRIST HOPE FOR EUROPE
ANNOUNCING "THE GOSPEL OF HOPE: MARTYRIA
CELEBRATING "THE GOSPEL OF HOPE: LEITOURGIA
SERVING "THE GOSPEL OF HOPE": DIAKONIA
CONCLUSION
ENDNOTES
JESUS CHRIST
ALIVE IN HIS CHURCH
SOURCE OF HOPE FOR EUROPE
PREFACE
The Second Special Assembly for Europe, to be celebrated 1 - 23
October 1999 at the close of the Second Millennium, is the last in the
series of continental synods, culminating a period of preparation
characterised by some significant moments, i.e., the consultation for
arriving at a synod topic, followed by the Holy Father's approval of its
formulation and the publication of the Lineamenta with its series
of questions, sent to the interested parties, including the various
episcopal conferences of Europe (16 March 1998). The publication of the
present "working document" or Instrumentum laboris,
taking into account the responses to the initial document, constitutes
the final phase in the preparatory process for the synod.
From all accounts, the announcement of the celebration of the
Second Special Assembly for Europe generated great interest among the
local Churches on the continent as well as in the Universal Church. This
is seen in the many responses and observations to the Lineamenta
which arrived at the General Secretariat. Many local Churches took full
advantage of the preparatory period and the Lineamenta document
to devote time and prayer to a common reflection on various aspects of
the synod topic, thereby ensuring the rich content of the Instrumentum
laboris.
During the Fifth Meeting of the Pre-Synodal Council, held in Rome,
16 - 18 March 1999, the Pre-Synodal Council, in possession of all the
material submitted to the General Secretariat from the preparatory
stage, proceeded, with the help of experts from Europe, to propose a
final draft of this working document. At this meeting, the members
studied the initial draft composed on the basis of the responses and
structured according to the main topics suggested in the questions of
the Lineamenta. The observations of the members of the Pre-Synodal
Council at this meeting were then incorporated into the various parts of
the final text, which was later submitted to the Holy Father for his
approval.
In arriving at a text which reflected the contents of the
responses and observations, three aspects were given consideration, all
of which are found in some form in the definitive text: 1) shared points
of view 2) contrasting aspects and 3) possible oversights in the
responses. Moreover, it is worthwhile to state that the document
contains not only the above points but also those subjects which,
according to the responses, should receive further examination and
development. In these cases, even though they may not be given an
extensive treatment in the present text, they are mentioned so as to
become part of the agenda for treatment in synodal discussion.
The Instrumentum laboris, presented in English, French,
German and Italian, is structured according to the logical progression
of ideas in the synod topic: "Jesus Christ, Alive in His Church,
the Source of Hope for Europe".
Following this plan, the working document is composed of an
Introduction and three major parts whose headings reflect the main
aspects of the topic. These three sections are further divided into
sub-headings treating related subjects. The document ends with a brief
conclusion .
The Introduction begins by describing the present context
in which the Synod is being held and compares it to that in which the
previous synod took place.
Part I–Europe towards the Third Millennium–presents
abundant material for the necessary discernment of "the signs of
the times". It sets forth not only the changes which have occurred
in Europe in the last decade, with their causes and reasons for hope,
but also the disappointments, the risks and concerns which accompany
these changes. It likewise examines some questions emerging as a result
of present-day happenings in Europe. In considering the cultural roots
underlying this new situation and the details and analysis of related
phenomena, this section concludes by suggesting that the question of
man, and more specifically the "question of faith", might be
the central and determining factor in discussion.
Part II–Jesus Christ, Alive in His Church–describes the
essential underlying elements of an authentic, life-giving faith. A key
element to the document, this section insists that restoring and
regaining hope is possible only if it arises from faith in the Risen
Christ; only if the need for Christ, present in each man and woman, is
recognised; only if a person believes and professes that Jesus is the
one and only Saviour; and only if, on the basis of viewing the Church in
her profound reality of "mystery" and "communion", a
person is clearly aware that Jesus Christ and the Church are one.
Part III–Jesus Christ the Hope of Europe–describes how
encountering Jesus Christ is the basis of the Church's mission and the
mission of each disciple. Some preliminary suggestions are then made on
how the Church can restore hope to Europe today. Each suggestion urges a
genuine, courageous inquiry into demonstrating the Church's need to know
how to recognise and welcome the presence and action of Christ and his
Spirit, that she might truly reflect the face of Christ continually
being fashioned in her, and that she be a true place of communion. Three
sections follow on the mission of the Church–martyria, leitourgia,
diakonia. To stimulate discussion and possible debate, each section
presents ways in which the Church can announce, celebrate and serve
"The Gospel of Hope" in Europe today. Under proclamation and
witness, there is treated the subjects of the new evangelization,
ecumenism and dialogue with the Jews and other religions as well as the
topic of the sects. In speaking of celebration, the suggestion is made
to examine people's awareness of the Lord's presence in the liturgy and
in today's liturgical practices. Finally, in referring to service,
emphasis is placed on the witness of charity, the duty of building
communion and solidarity, some pastoral areas requiring particular
attention and the responsibilities and activities in constructing a new
Europe.
After commemorating the martyrs of Europe in this century and the
importance of keeping their memory alive so as to bring about a new hope
in Europe and recalling the presence of Mary as Mother of Hope in the
construction of the New Europe, the text concludes by presenting the
relationship between the Special Assembly and the Jubilee of the Year
2000.
The present Instrumentum laboris is meant to assist in the
synodal assembly's work and to provide assistance in the immediate
preparation of its participants. Moreover, it is intended to point out
the main issues under discussion in the local Churches in Europe. In
this way, the document offers timely guidance in the work of discernment
awaiting the Pastors in their responsibility and charism to keep watch
over the times, to examine the signs, to gather what the Spirit is
saying to the Churches and to indicate the steps to be taken in the
future. It will also provide occasion for a beneficial "examination
of conscience". Above all, the document offers suggestions for
discussion and analysis on some essential ways of restoring hope to
Europe today. These ways will become evident through rediscovering and
re-affirming faith in Jesus Christ, alive in his Church, as the one who
alone can give a sure hope to each man and woman and to every people and
nation, and through ascertaining the conditions and approaches which
permit the Church to fulfill her mission of announcing, celebrating and
serving "The Gospel of Hope".
The information contained in the Instrumentum laboris,
resulting from the responses sent to the General Secretariat, is now
being returned to the bishops of Europe who are to participate at the
Special Assembly for their immediate personal preparation, which
includes choosing specific points to be treated in their intervention
during the synod. Since the Holy Father has been pleased to make this
document public, all bishops in Europe might wish to utilise it to
revitalise their particular Churches and to foster the participation of
the faithful in the synod process.
By its very nature, the Instrumentum laboris is a work
document. It should not be seen in any way as anticipating the
conclusions of the synodal assembly, although the consensus that emerges
on certain points in the answers will no doubt be reflected in the
results of the synod.
It is my fervent hope that Our Lady, present with the disciples in
the Upper Room, will guide these final preparations and be with the
members during the work of the synod so that this assembly might bring
many to Christ, alive in His Church, the Source of Hope for Europe and
lead to a fresh dynamism in the work of evangelisation of the European
continent as the Church moves towards crossing the threshold of the
Third Millennium.
Jan P. Cardinal SCHOTTE, c.i.c.m.
General Secretary
INTRODUCTION
Two Synods for Europe
1. In 1991, when the First Special Assembly for Europe of the Synod
of Bishops was celebrated, the continent found itself in a situation of new-found
unity. Shortly thereafter, many peoples of Europe began to
experience a period of great freedom; it was almost like coming out of
the catacombs or a kind of "passage through the Red Sea" (cf.
Ex 14:21-30).
Great was their Hope. The Holy Father observed that "a
common sentiment seems to dominate the great human family. Everyone
wonders what future to construct in peace and solidarity. ... Walls have
crumbled. Borders have opened. ... An earthly messianism has crumbled
and the thirst for a new justice is springing up in the world. A great
hope has been born of freedom, responsibility, solidarity and
spirituality. Everyone is calling for a new fully human civilisation in
this privileged hour in which we are living. This immense hope of
humanity must not be disappointed...(1) That moment was "ripe to
gather up the stones of the walls that have been torn down and to build
together a common home.(2)
At the same time, people urgently needed to see what this new-found
freedom actually meant. The basic question, illustrated in the topic of
the First Special Assembly for Europe, Ut testes simus Christi qui
nos liberavit, was concerned with the proper conception of freedom.
The Church, along with all Christian Churches, is called to bear witness
to this freedom, announce it and build it up, keenly aware that such
freedom can only be the freedom which Christ has gained. As a result,
the Church's response must be a "new evangelisation".
The First Special Assembly–born of a realisation that a
particularly historic moment was occurring in Europe, a moment which
brought grace, newness and a call from God–came to be seen as a
privileged moment of encounter among the bishops. It was also an
experience of the Church's catholicity which provided opportunity to
reflect more attentively on what that historic moment had in store for
Europe and the Church. In this way, the synod examined the signs of the
times and used them in indicating the path to follow in a reciprocal
exchange of gifts in the work of evangelisation into the Third
Millennium.
The Church had the clearly marked path of bringing "the
liberating message of the Gospel to the men and women of Europe once
more.(3) The single task facing the Church was the "new
evangelisation." Jesus Christ alone is the true liberator of
humanity; only he can indicate the proper way to follow in Europe's
new-found freedom.
2. Today, 8 years after that event, Europe's situation could be
described as a unity in peril. "Can we not say that after
the collapse of one wall, the visible one, another, invisible wall was
discovered, one that continues to divide our continent–the wall that
exists in people's hearts? It is a wall made out of fear and
aggressiveness, of lack of understanding for people of different
origins, different colour, different religious convictions; it is the
wall of political and economic selfishness, of the weakening of
sensitivity to the value of human life and the dignity of every human
being. Even the undeniable achievements of recent years in the economic,
political and social fields do not hide the fact that this wall exists.
It casts its shadow over all of Europe. The goal of the authentic unity
of the European continent is still distant.(4)
Many people believed that the extraordinary events of 1989 would
radically change history and that Europe's dramatic situations and
divisions would be a thing of the past. Instead, the years which
followed brought similar events to its peoples in various parts of the
continent. Now, on the eve of the Third Millennium, the European
continent, despite the great signs of faith and witness and an
atmosphere undoubtedly more free and unified, is showing signs of
weariness which historical events–recent and past–have brought about
deep within the heart of its peoples, often causing disappointment. As
a result, there is a great risk that hope will grow weak. The
question to be faced today, then, is how to restore a lost hope, not in
a superficial and passing way but in a more profound, solid and enduring
manner.
Once again, the challenge is to return to the Gospel; in the
conviction that "there will be no European unity until it is based
on unity of the spirit. This most profound basis of unity was brought to
Europe and consolidated down the centuries by Christianity with its
Gospel, with its understanding of man and with its contribution to the
development of the history of peoples and nations.(5) What was taught in
the past is also true today–that "the wall which today is raised
in people's hearts, the wall which divides Europe, will not be torn down
without a return to the Gospel.(6)
3. The Second Special Assembly for Europe of the Synod of Bishops is
situated in this context. Announced by His Holiness, Pope John Paul II
in Berlin, this synod is one in the series of continental synods
celebrated in these years as part of the preparation for the Great
Jubilee of the Year 2000.(7) After taking up again and developing what
emerged in the previous Special Assembly for Europe, after examining all
that has taken place in the meantime, after carrying out an attentive
work of discernment and after maintaining a commitment to the reciprocal
exchange of gifts, the Second Special Assembly's fundamental aims are
to analyse the situation of the Church in Europe in view of the Jubilee,
to indicate ways in which the immense spiritual reserves of the
continent can fully develop in all areas and to foster a new
proclamation of the Gospel, thus creating the basis for an authentic
religious, social and economic rebirth.(8)
Above all, the synod is to seek to profess that "Jesus
Christ, alive in his Church, is the Source of Hope for Europe"
and to proclaim "hope believed against hope" (cf. Rom
4:18). Through an attentive reading of the present moment, the synod
intends to indicate the many "signs" and "seeds" of
hope in Europe and to restore hope to the Church community as she
professes her faith in the Lord Jesus.
The "hope" under consideration is "theological hope".
It is not an optimism which provides motivation to get things done or
achieve goals, nor is it a basic trust in the innate goodness of the
European cause–though in its own way this can have a positive stirring
influence. Instead, it is a hope which takes account of everything,
risks of failure as well as hard work. Basically, it is a hope founded
in God; it is the theological virtue which recognises that the loving
presence of Christ overcomes all things and ensures victory; it is the
hope of an Abraham and a Paul which remains firm in the time of crisis.
It is the hope which "hopes believing against hope" in the
certainty that God is faithful, does not renege on his promises and, in
Jesus and with the force of the Spirit, does not abandon humanity,
society and the world, but makes himself a travelling companion on
life's journey, lights the path and gives strength and sustenance in the
work to be done.
4. Running through the entire text are repeated references to the
episode of the two disciples at Emmaus (Lk 24:13-35), used as an
"interpretive icon" of the present-day situation of Europe.
Like the two disciples, many persons in Europe, in contrast to the
euphoric spirit which characterised the years of celebration of the
First Special Assembly of the Synod, now seem to be disheartened and
dispirited because of unfulfilled expectations. They now look to the
future with uncertainty and little hope. Such persons, like the
disciples on the evening of the first Easter Sunday, need to encounter
the risen Lord, alive in his Church, to make "their hearts
burn" and permit them "to go off again without delay" and
return to what is presently happening in European history so as to
continue to transform the whole continent into a place where all can
live together, without exclusion and barriers, in acceptance, solidarity
and peace.
This is the service which Christians and the particular Churches can
render in the construction of a new spirit for Europe, capable of
looking beyond its interests and confines so as to offer to the whole
world a new contribution of civilisation, wisdom and peace.
PART I
EUROPE TOWARDS THE THIRD MILLENNIUM
For a discernment of the "signs of the times"
5. The two disciples "were going to a village named Emmaus,
about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all
the things that had happened" (Lk 24:13-14). Since they were
so totally a part of that historical event, they could not be
indifferent. Instead, they looked to what was happening around them and
allowed the events to pose questions for them: in fact, "they were
talking and discussing together" (Lk 24:15). At the same
time, however, their path is marked with sadness–"and they stood
still looking sad"(Lk 24:17)–and a loss of hope–"we
had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel (Lk 24:21).
Fundamentally speaking, the situation is one of a loss of faith:
"Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were
kept from recognising him" (Lk 24:15-16). St. Augustine
comments: "They said, 'we were hoping that he was the redeemer
of Israel.' O disciples, you were hoping; does this mean that you no
longer have hope? Behold, Christ lives but your hope is dead! Indeed,
Christ is alive; but the living Christ finds the disciples' hearts
without life.... Having lost faith and hope, they walked with the Living
One but themselves were lifeless. The dead accompanied Life itself. Life
walked with them, but life did not as yet return to their hearts.(9)
The two disciples can be taken as a symbol of the many women and men
in Europe today. They can also be used to symbolise the whole European
continent which hoped in the Lord in the past and which, indeed, is not
abandoned by him in the present. However, at this moment Europe appears
to be lost, confused, adrift and with its hope in peril. In addition to
this general state of affairs, many Christians seem to have lost their
faith or limit it to certain traditions or live it superficially in some
form of religious practice.
Discerning the Signs of the Times
6. The bishops meeting in Synod as heads of their local Churches and
faithful to their prophetic mission, sense the need to "question
themselves" on how to discern the signs of the times and
interpret them in light of the Gospel.(10) They will "talk about
what is happening in Europe", but, unlike the disciples of Emmaus,
they will do it by allowing themselves to be questioned and
enlightened by the presence of the Lord and his Word which they know
is with them, their Churches and the entire continent on their journey.
This already took place at the First Special Assembly for Europe of
the Synod of Bishops, convoked by the Holy Father to reflect on the
significance of that historic moment. The events of 1989 required the
synod to turn its attention to Europe and the Church so as to read the
signs of the times and to discuss what path to follow,(11) through
seeking to understand both what the Spirit of Christ was saying to the
Church through past experiences and the path he was indicating for the
future.(12)
The task of discernment, however, did not end with the celebration of
that Synod, because such a work is always incumbent on the Pastors of
the Church. Nevertheless, in light of the changes and new situations
which came about as a result of historical events, the task presented
itself with renewed urgency. The Holy Father himself stated that
"Christians must seize the opportunities offered to them by the kairos
of the present moment and show themselves equal to the emerging pastoral
challenges of the concrete historical situation.(13)
The Synod, therefore, feels bound to give particular attention to the
historical events which have taken place in Europe in recent years and
to the trends affecting it at present. This attentive look is one of
discernment and critical judgment, capable of presenting both positive
and negative aspects and of indicating the path to follow so that the
continent of Europe might not betray its identity or fall short of its
responsibilities. In this way, it can find hope again. Therefore, it is
a matter of taking a look at Europe–after the example and
teaching of the Holy Father–with love and empathy, a look which
is proper to someone who recognises, appreciates and values each
positive element of progress encountered, forcefully denounces what is
incoherent with the Gospel and never tires of suggesting and pointing to
further goals to be achieved.
The "Res Novae" in the Europe of the Last Decade
7. Despite the fact that only ten years have passed since 1989 and
some people might think of the events which took place at that time as
the distant past, the influence of those events on European life and the
local Churches in Europe is still being felt.
Undoubtedly, in the wake of these events, significant changes have
taken place in the life of the particular Churches.
Eight years ago, the synod pointed out that the Church in the East
and West "shows a new vigour, particularly in biblical and
liturgical renewal, in the active participation of the faithful in
parish life, in new experiences of community and in the revival of
prayer and the contemplative life, besides many forms of voluntary work
on behalf of those who are poor and rejected.(14) The presence of small
communities, new groups and ecclesial movements is also significant.
Besides giving rise and favouring a revitalisation of the faith, these
provide experiences which foster ecclesial communion and have often
"brought to the Church's life an unexpected newness which is
sometimes even disruptive":(15) various persons have been overtaken
and guided by the charisms stirred up by the Spirit towards "new
ways of missionary commitment to the radical service of the Gospel, by
ceaselessly proclaiming the truths of faith, accepting the living stream
of tradition as a gift and instilling in each person an ardent desire
for holiness.(16)
Particularly in former iron-curtain countries, the gentle winds of
freedom and the proclamation of human rights allowed a new-found
freedom in activities for the Church who had lived "in
captivity" for decades. Despite the tiring work and difficulties
involved in reconstructing a world wounded by dictatorship and an
erroneous system of life whose effects are seen mostly in the area of
interior growth, significant witness was demonstrated by these Churches
and the plans undertaken by them appeared full of promise in responding
to the great need of "recuperating" at all levels their
religious and cultural patrimony, oppressed and neglected for a long
time, and of enriching it with the conciliar and post-conciliar
magisterium.
At the same time, negative phenomena, primarily in Western
Europe–such as materialism, consumerism, hedonism and cultural and
religious relativism–have also had an effect on the peoples of Eastern
Europe, making the work of local Churches more difficult. Some
apprehension also exists in particular Churches in Eastern Europe
towards those in the West that they will not be able to carry on a
relationship and dialogue "on an equal basis" and that they
will lose the influence which they have earned through oftentimes heroic
sacrifices. At times, it was not easy for men and women religious from
Western Europe, sent to the particular Churches in the East, to
understand local situations and to work in collaboration with various
Church people working in the territory. The passage from a Christianity
lived in oppression to that lived in a climate of freedom exposed
weaknesses in certain areas, resulting in negative effects on vocations,
especially in countries where they were once plentiful.
8. Numerous and significant changes have also taken place on the
cultural, social and political level.
For the last ten years Europe has been experiencing a process which
can, in some cases, be likened to the re-founding of States and entire
societies, a process which, generally speaking, is a politico-institutional
transition still incomplete and unfortunately marked in the past and
present by forms of bloody conflict. In many countries, it is a
transition which concerns discovering the proper manner of exercising
freedom and democracy after years of Communist dominance. In other
countries, with the crisis and weakened state of the Communist block,
such a transition is marked by changes in the political order. As a
result of the ongoing fragmentation of the Catholic world in the wake of
various choices by political entities, the particular Churches have been
required–and are still being required–to seek new relations and
forms of presence. This same process of transition has also brought
about new ideas, peoples and nations on the continental and world scene
with all that this signifies in the realms of a correct interpretation
of the rights of people and entire nations.
Furthermore, the fall of the iron curtain has produced, for the first
time in a decade, the possibility of direct contact with countries in
Central and Eastern Europe. Immediately thereafter, an influx of
migration from Eastern Europe occurred in addition to those from the
South and various countries of Africa and Asia. Migration is presently
continuing with the influx in the West of people from the East and in
the northern hemisphere of those from the south. The poor and the
homeless from numerous ex-iron curtain countries as well as those from
Africa and Asia immigrate to cities of Western Europe, in many cases in
an illegal manner. This influx in populations is creating numerous
cultural and social problems in Europe which need to be attentively
discerned and faced with responsibility. Each year there results an
ever-increasing pluralism in ethnic, cultural, religious and social
areas. These situations constitute a challenge for the local Churches
who seek to respond, not without difficulty, through renewed initiatives
of welcome and solidarity and attempts at interreligious and
inter-cultural dialogue.
It is impossible here not to mention the more general phenomenon of globalisation
which interests the peoples and governments of Europe because of their
involvement in the process.
In more recent years, the phenomenon is causing an acceleration in
the unification and integration of member-countries into the European
Union to the point of establishing a single currency. Participation
in this process has allowed many peoples in Europe, perhaps for the
first time, to experience in concrete terms on the national level the
effects of an increase of institutions particularly European, thus
replacing a simply rhetorical and distant vision of Europe as a
continent. In this regard, further developments have taken place in
relations, dialogue and consultation between European institutions and
the Catholic Church (through the Commission of the Episcopates of the
European Community) and among the local Catholic Churches on the entire
continent (by means of the Council of the Episcopal Conferences of
Europe), structures which appear fundamental to the participation of the
Church in the construction of a New Europe.
It is not difficult to see how the present historic moment places
Europe again at a crossroad where the construction, union and
evangelisation of the continent are appearing as fundamental challenges.
At the same time, sufficient evidence points to the fact that the
present phase of European history–as recalled on many occasions by the
Holy Father–though characterised by significant changes and many
problems, affords also possibilities in evangelisation as well as in
living and working together.(17) In other words, the present moment is an
important juncture for the hopes and concerns which the Synod has
the task to discern with responsibility.
Opportunities and Reasons for Hope
9. The present phase of European history offers many reasons for
hope, even if at times concerns and disappointments seem to appear. What
is needed is to discover the "seeds and signs of hope" and
know how to value them.
Generally speaking, it cannot be overlooked that new social
and political conditions permit an increasing number of Europeans
accessibility to a better quality of life. They also facilitate the
movement of persons, allow greater mutual understanding between the
peoples of the East and West, result in cultural exchanges, foster a
frequent sharing of religious experiences, especially among the young,
and help put into effect shared initiatives towards making Europe one
common house.
In the Church, the above situation undoubtedly offers new and
ample possibilities for communion, solidarity and sharing among the
local Churches in Europe. These possibilities are also displayed at all
levels of the Church among those in positions of responsibility, even if
communication is not always balanced or, to use a favourite expression
of the Holy Father, Europe's "breathing with two lungs" is
still rather slow and laboured.
In some particular Churches in the East activities have significantly
been resumed in catechetical, liturgical, charitable and cultural areas
with new areas being opened for the Church's evangelising presence. At
the same time, the possibility of utilising the instruments of social
communication in service to mission seems to be on the increase. In some
countries, new conditions are providing opportunity for a new
evangelisation, primarily in Christian formation and religious and
priestly vocations, areas which formerly had been limited and sometimes
hampered by the government. As a result of the new-found freedom, those
belonging to religious institutes are now able to return to living in
community and sharing pastoral activities, thus surmounting–not
without suffering and difficulty–the conditions of the past. In some
nations, these new conditions have resulted in an increase in vocations,
indeed a hopeful sign. In some countries of the East, where liturgical
life was impeded, people are now attending Mass with frequency and,
generally speaking, are rediscovering and participating in the Church's
liturgy in its various aspects. Spiritual movements are also spreading
extensively–at times, not without problems–and the young are
increasingly seeking a sound spirituality.
In the particular Churches of the West centres of listening and
places of encounter are growing in number where persons meet who were
formerly ideologically opposed to each other. Locales are also being
established to welcome the growing number of immigrants. Major countries
in the West are witnessing the development of the catechumenate and a
return to the faith of Christians who have long abandoned religious
practice. Some Churches, having undergone changes only as outside
observers, are now witnessing an increase in "communion" with
other particular Churches and are coming to know the life and culture of
people who until now were held to be strangers or even enemies. With the
fall of barriers, Church academic institutions in Western Europe have
seen a rise in the number of seminarians, priests, religious, women
religious and laity from ex-Communist countries and have facilitated the
loan of teachers and experts to the local Churches of the East as
professors and advisors.
10. Culture and society also display opportunities and signs
of hope calling for recognition and appreciation.
Underlying and belonging to the ongoing process of politico-
institutional transition, certain actions should not be under-estimated,
even if they often require an intensive work of purification. These
actions indicate not only a deep desire for political freedom, and more
basically the possibility of constructing a pluralistic society where
the rights of all, including minorities, might be taught, but also a
desire for economic freedom, calling for attention and consideration as
a possible positive factor in development and responsibility.
The co-existence of diverse peoples, cultures and religions can be an
opportunity–indeed almost an obligation, so as not to revert back to
forms of permanent conflict and exclusion of the weakest–to work
towards a cultural unity which today can no longer be understood in
terms of "Christianity only," but as a "pluralism of
dialogue and collaboration". In this situation Christians have the
unavoidable task of bringing about that "productive co-existence of
cultures" which knows how to transform every temptation to
opposition not only into an opportunity for mutual acceptance and
service but also into a living environment befitting humanity and all
citizens, not to mention into a great reality where a multiplicity of
smaller nations and cultures can find a home.
The phenomenon of globalisation, despite its ambivalence and
challenges, also contains positive elements and opportunities. This
world- wide trend is certainly leading to increased efficiency and
growth in production. Likewise, it can strengthen the process of
inter-dependence and unity among peoples, offering a real service to the
entire human family.
Finally, in the construction of Europe, monetary union has taken on
an importance and significance which can serve as a major opportunity.
Besides requiring individual states to re-think the meaning of national
sovereignty and areas of jurisdiction, it can–if approached with a
global view of solidarity–give major stability to Europe and its
economic development. Furthermore, it can be an important tool in
allowing the continent to increase exchanges of various kinds and in
assisting a qualitative advance in living together on the continent.
Even if concrete advances are modest, such progress–according to the
logic that even small steps matter–does at least demonstrate the
attainment of some crucial fundamental values.
Disappointments, Risks and Concerns
11. Interpreting the events which have transformed Europe in the last
decade must not lead to forms of naive optimism but must be approached
with a realism which does not hide the uncertainty and fragility
associated with this phase of European history. Indeed, many new risks
of delusion and disappointment exist, as John Paul II forewarned,(18) as
well as serious concerns and dangers. The sum total of these
disappointments, apprehensions and risks go to make up the facial
features of a Europe which seems to have lost hope.
In this climate of disappointment there is a widespread
agreement that, despite the effects and advances over the years, the
construction of a common house for Europe based on Gospel values is a
more difficult goal to achieve than was first thought by the particular
Churches at the beginning of the decade. The plan of re-organising
political, economic and military affairs–pursued without reference to
Christian values–has revealed its true features only in power
struggles, despite the fact that in certain nations consideration has
been partially given to the good of populations.
Generally speaking, there is a common awareness that Communism is not
the only enemy. Pluralism has taken the place of Marxism in cultural
dominance, a pluralism which is undifferentiated and tending towards
skepticism and nihilism. This pluralism, touching extensive areas of
social life today, is resulting in a strongly reduced anthropology, in
many cases without meaning.
In Eastern countries in particular, certain expectations have been
illusory. The effects of Communism with its hollow anthropology and its
consequent ethical principles was not given due consideration. As a
result, some unsuspectingly concluded that with the fall of Communism
all would, almost automatically, be changed for the better. Others
thought that democracy would spontaneously bring riches and prosperity
and that freedom would permit a flow of goods from the West to all
consumers, guaranteeing work for everyone and causing economic
prosperity. Instead, crisis has thrown thousands of families into
poverty. On the political level, the oftentimes return to power of
former members of the Communist system and a violent nationalism, which
at times has arisen instead of freedom and peace, have contributed to an
increase in disillusionment. Many are also disappointed at forms of
disinterest and indifference in Western Europe to the dramatic
situations in certain countries of the ex-Communist world, as witnessed
in their being less willing to respect and defend the diversity and
rights of individual peoples as well as of certain minorities who are
seeking self-determination.
12. Various responses point to risks in different parts of
European society today.
On the social level, for example, the phenomenon of
globalisation, often guided solely or primarily by the logic of
commercialism and geared to the advantage of the powerful, can be the
harbinger of greater inequalities, injustices and marginalisation. The
situation can lead to an increase in unemployment and pose a threat to
society, tending towards inequality not only between industrialised
nations but within them as well. It can also have the following effects:
raise the question of what can be tolerated in development; cause new
forms of social marginalisation, instability and insecurity; place in
question the harmony among economy, society and politics; lessen
national authority in economic matters, introduce a kind of unrestrained
"hyper-competition" and so on.
The introduction of a single European currency can pose risks not
only because it can foster financial supremacy and the dominance of
economic-commercial interests but also because it can lead to the
construction of new barriers in Europe, primarily directed against the
East, to protect the stronger economies and defend them against
immigration. Undoubtedly, there is an all-too-real danger of a new
division of the continent into two parts: one part comprised of
countries with a strong currency and another of those with a currency
unable to be exchanged, one part comprised of countries with a
relatively stable economy and another of those with a weak economy; all
this having consequences on society and security.
13. At the cultural level, "there is a growing tendency
to think and act merely for the satisfaction of immediate desires and
the acquisition of economic security; at the same time, individual
freedom becomes a false absolute and there is a denial of any comparison
with truth and goodness beyond one's own environment or group. Although
a Marxism imposed by force has collapsed, practical atheism and
materialism are certainly present throughout Europe; and though they are
no longer imposed by force or explicitly proposed, people still think
and behave as if 'God did not exist'.(19)
In the wake of the collapse of certain ideologies and of the
disillusionment from dreams of utopia, Western countries are witnessing
a growing indifference and prevalence of a kind of pragmatic
materialism. Likewise, consumerism, an effect of secularisation, now
seems to have penetrated even the Eastern part of the continent. In
fact, some countries of the East are noting the rampart diffusion of
capitalism in its strictest forms supported by a mafia-like organisation,
seriously threatening public life. Oftentimes, the people of various
Eastern countries, when faced with Western opinions and attitudes,
accept them without thought or go to the other extreme of refusing them
outrightly, running the risk of serious contra- positioning and
polarisation within these countries.
There is also the tendency to question everything, even within
Church, insisting that the democratic principle of the majority ought to
be applied in Church matters, especially in doctrine and morality.
In this complex situation, European civilisation runs the risk of not
only making absolute various values and principles but also unilaterally
asserting them to the loss of others. For example, a freedom taken in an
absolute sense and isolated from other values–like that of
solidarity–can lead to the disintegration of life on the continent; a
freedom claimed as absolute runs the risk of destroying the very society
it helped to construct.
14. On the religious and ecclesial level, the same situation
described in the preceding Synod for Europe continues to be true. Today
as before, "a search for religious experience remains, though in
forms not always consistent with each other and often far removed from
an authentic Christian faith. Young people, in particular, are seeking
happiness in many signs, images and vain illusions and are readily
inclined towards new forms of religious experience and sects of various
origins.(20) In this regard, some responses refer to the reawakening
of an interest in religion–as one of many paradoxical
elements–which is seen in people's escape into spiritualism
and, above all, into a religious and esoteric syncretism, which
explains the appeal of sects and groups formed on the basis of the slightest
reference to the sacred. The force of these new ideas is founded not
so much in the substantiveness of their teaching in offering a new life
but in the adoption of a plan for living which has only self as a
reference point. Such a situation masks an exaggerated individualism
which goes in search of groups offering refuge and gratification.
As a result, there is a great risk of a progressive and radical de-Christianisation
and paganisation of the continent. In some countries, the number of
those un-baptised is very high. Oftentimes, basic tenets of Christianity
are not sufficiently known. Some situations indicate a real breakdown in
catechesis and Christian formation. All this puts the cultural identity
of Europe in jeopardy, a situation which one person hypothetically
described as a kind of "European apostasy".
The great decrease in the number of vocations to the
priesthood and the religious life in some countries brings the risk of weakening
or diminishing a proper conception of the Church. When people
think that the ordained ministry is not relevant and indispensable or
when they see it only in terms of function, they see no problem in
substituting persons whose only qualifications would be the competence
acquired through specific courses.
Finally, many responses highlight the danger that the initiatives
undertaken by the particular Churches of Western Europe on behalf of
those of the East have a tendency–unintentional but real–to be
"westernising them". Instead, inspired by the Gospel, the
Western local Churches need to put themselves at the service of the
local Churches of the East, seeking to value their cultural and
religious richness.
15. This situation is leading some particular Churches to raise
concerns.
Considering the profound fundamental changes which have occurred in
cultural and religious traditions and acknowledging how much the various
particular Churches and Christian communities have done, and continue to
do, in individual territories in this regard, a grave preoccupation
arises that Europe is more and more in need of a renewed
evangelisation and a new missionary effort. In some cases, it is a
matter of preaching the Gospel of Christ to those who still do not know
it; in others, to mend the fabric of Christian communities. In the
Eastern countries, in light of the negative consequences of Communist
atheism, a kind of a "first evangelisation" is necessary
because many are living without a knowledge of Jesus Christ, even though
they live in territories where the Gospel has been announced and
testimony has been given, even to an heroic degree. In Western countries
which have experienced rapid developments and the challenges of
secularisation, globalisation and urbanisation, a "new
evangelisation" proposes the urgent need of a new inculturisation
of the Gospel. In every case–in each particular Church and among the
diverse Churches and Christian communities through an intense,
respectful ecumenical collaboration–there is an increasing demand to
unite the forces available and concentrate on certain priorities, taking
advantage of the existing working and academic structures–revitalised
and new–and utilising the means of social communication to form a
proper public opinion. In this work, the increased dialogue and
collaboration among the bishops and institutes of consecrated
life–already showing signs of improvement–is taking on greater
importance.
In the religious and moral situation of today's Europe, another basic
concern deserves the Synod's attention. The particular Churches in
Western countries are recognising that it is less and less possible to
base pastoral programs on a presumed acceptance of a "generally
shared Christianity" in Europe. Consequently, the necessity has
arisen to place an emphasis on the personal nature of faith and on
adults through pastoral programs which take into account both the
degree of instability, uncertainty and differentiation of Church
practice by many of the baptised and the decrease in the number of
priests. In this situation, some speak of a danger in continuing to
devise a pastoral program which, no longer bearing the characteristics
typical of a time when Christianity was the dominant religion, is
psychologically incapable of accepting a position of reduced esteem and
social recognition for the Church. Such people seek to save structures
and the Church's influence at all cost, even to the point of compromise,
permitting many persons to live a generic kind of belonging to the
Church where there is no need to make clear fundamental choices. The
opposite seems to be true in the particular Churches of the East.
Because of the difficult history experienced over the years, these
Churches are more accustomed not to enjoy esteem in society, and
therefore, foster a serious concentration on the important values of the
faith.
Another area of concern is the Church's relations with the mass
media. Many point out that oftentimes the Church does not know how
to use well the modern means of social communication. Without being
openly hostile to the Church, the media can sometimes convey a poor
image of religion and the Church.
Towards a Critical Discernment of Some Special Questions
16. Generally speaking, certain subjects deserve special attention.
First of all, the separation between progress and spiritual values
is growing wider. Certain examples of this situation are common to
almost all countries in Europe; others are peculiar to Western and
Eastern Europe.
The phenomenon is often associated with practical experience more
than with any philosophy or ideology. Many people live in such difficult
situations that daily concerns take precedence and leave no room for
other values to enter. Unemployment, a variety of family problems as
well as forms of marginalisation and injustices in society affect people
to such an extent as to cause disinterest in spiritual values or
indifference to them.
Not every situation, however, is so obvious and clear. In European
society, contradictory trends are emerging in various ways. On the one
hand, there is a tendency to isolate oneself in a small world and to
defend one's privacy as well as one's social and cultural
"status"; on the other, there is a desire to be open towards
others, particularly towards the poor and those on the periphery of
society. On the one hand, free time permits the development of values
from sports events, tourism, nature, etc.; on the other, these
opportunities turn some people into idols for a noteworthy group of
individuals or lead to a kind of collective obsession in which
individuality seems to be swallowed up.
In Western countries, the separation between progress and spiritual
values is manifested primarily in a mentality to seek the easiest, most
practical or most personally gratifying solution to problems.
Consequently, a sense of sacrifice and asceticism is lost, history loses
its meaning and beauty, truth and goodness are given importance, only if
they are immediately achievable.
Furthermore, social progress and cultural advancement have shed new
light on values touching various aspects of human living. Women are more
conscious of their proper vocation and better prepared to defend women's
equal dignity and opportunities in various areas of life. In numerous
families good communication exists between parents and children. Among
the younger generation a greater understanding of family values seems to
be growing.
At first sight, the conclusion might be drawn that the abandonment of
spiritual values goes hand and hand with progress. However, since
material progress alone does not satisfy the deepest aspirations of the
human heart, the search for spiritual values, although oftentimes vague
and ill-defined, can be said to be growing as well. But there is no
evidence that this growth is taking place extensively. At the same time,
it is taking different forms in the West and East.
17. Today, the value of solidarity often seems to be in crisis in
Europe. In fact, the attitudes and conduct of individuals and entire
groups, oftentimes inspired and nourished by forms of a self-centred
capitalism and consumerism, are clearly visible and present almost
everywhere on the continent.
Even though solidarity may be in a weakened state in society, there
are many positive trends and initiatives being promoted by men and women
who well remember the broken dreams from various ideologies. These
programs are aimed at creating a new consciousness of the need of
planning and realising projects on behalf of life at the personal,
familial and national levels. These projects are based on a dignified
austerity meant to bring beneficial effects to populations now living
under the poverty level or in need of different kinds of assistance. In
this regard, in many local Churches, especially in Western Europe,
solidarity towards the local poor, peoples from the East and those in
the Southern hemisphere is taking on a greater meaning than might be
imagined. Campaigns of solidarity, directed towards specific goals and
periodically sponsored by various people in the Church, are having some
success. The practice of "Sister Churches" linking Christian
communities in Europe with Churches of the so-called "Third
World" is becoming more frequent. Not to be overlooked is the work
of consecrated persons both in initiatives of solidarity among the
people of the local Churches where they exercise their apostolate and in
formation work in which they instil in new generations the human and
Christian value of a real, realisable solidarity.
18. The responses on religious freedom and tolerance provide complex,
varied information. On the one hand, many parts of the continent enjoy
true religious freedom without any obstacles; on the other, certain
forms of intolerance exist and endure.
In some places where there is a formal respect of religious freedom,
a certain intolerance exists when individual Catholics or groups
publicly voice their beliefs and positions on issues. Oftentimes, the
Church is "tolerated" so long as she stays in the private
sphere.
Some countries have had decades of conflict as a result of a basic
intolerance. Such intolerance, however, has for some time been slowly
diminishing and yielding to a spirit of mutual acceptance of different
traditions and beliefs.
After many years of imposed atheism, there is arising in some
particular Churches in the East a climate and attitude of rigidity
towards other confessions and different ways of thinking. As a result,
some groups of Catholics wish to impose their way of thinking and acting
on all society, clearly showing their difficulty in accepting the values
of the ecumenical movement, interreligious dialogue and a correct
democratic system.
Today, acts of hostility and intolerance towards Catholics, albeit
rarer, have not totally disappeared in some predominantly Orthodox
territories. Certain signs of anti-Semitism also exist in some parts of
Europe. As for relations with Muslims, some observe that they ask for
religious tolerance but, at the same time, they do not guarantee that
same tolerance in Islamic countries for those who profess Catholicism or
other religions.
In almost all Western societies, the general climate of tolerance
poses a great challenge for the Church. In a society where tolerance is
seen as an essential, dominant and undeniable value, there are those in
fact who maintain that monotheism under any form–and therefore, also
Christian monotheism–might be the underlying cause of intolerance.
Consequently, they state that if this necessary tolerance is to be
safeguarded, society ought to return to a sort of indistinct
co-existence of religious beliefs and, ultimately, of a variety of
possible deities. The question arises, then, how can the Church continue
to fulfill her evangelising mission without being a harbinger of
intolerance? More precisely, how can and how ought the Church announce
the Gospel while acknowledging and accepting all who profess a different
faith and avoiding that "tolerance" degenerate into
"indifference" or "relativism"?
19. Finally, in considering the State in relation to intermediate
institutions and the Church, it is necessary to bear in mind that in
many nations the power of the State has at times grown
disproportionately over the years, resulting in a decrease in number of
these institutions or their suppression. Many persons and small
institutions have thereby become very vulnerable to the will of the
State. This is the case especially in the countries of Eastern Europe
where decades of Communism have destroyed such institutions and
undermined civil and social life. At the same time, however, it must be
admitted that decades of capitalism have produced analogous situations
in many countries of the West. In these situations, the Church is called
upon to support intermediate institutions and to encourage their
creation.
In certain nations of Western Europe, the Church has enjoyed, and
still enjoys, full religious freedom and possesses multiple cultural,
educational and charitable institutions, oftentimes making up for a lack
in State programs. In such a situation, the Church increasingly ought to
recognise and respect the "secular character" of the State and
her own autonomy. At the same time, however, the Church is also required
to regain her rights, for example, in such matters as scholastic
equality and State financial aid for non-State schools, in the defence
of life, in the preferential love for the poor of society and effective
religious freedom.
In certain countries of Eastern Europe, especially in those of
Orthodox tradition, the association between religion and the State is
very strong. In some cases, this situation is the cause of unfavourable
administrative attitudes towards the Catholic Church or even a legal
discrimination towards other religious confessions.
Likewise, there is also in some Eastern European countries those who
use religion and the Church for political and nationalistic ends.
Attitudes of the Churches and Seeking Cultural Roots
20. The preceding paragraphs have described the basic features of
today's Europe, the following paragraphs treat the reactions and
attitudes of the Christian community which are equally diverse and
varied.
In an ever-widening pluralism of faith and culture, there are
some, formed in a kind of Christian Western mono-culture, who look at
the situation with apprehension. Finding themselves unprepared to
understand and interpret this pluralism, they are consequently unable to
approach it with openness and critical dialogue. Other people in the
Church are disposed to accept such pluralism but more at the theoretical
level and more in areas outside the Church. This is clearly seen in the
difficulties encountered–and frequently resulting incapacity–in
creating areas in the particular Churches in Europe where Catholics of
other traditions or immigrants of other religions can express their
cultural, spiritual and religious values. At the same time, ecclesial
communities, centres of consecrated life as well as groups and movements
exist which seem to be reacting positively to such pluralism. In this
regard, it is sufficient to consider the cultural, charitable,
associative and ecumenical initiatives promoted by dioceses or national
and regional episcopal conferences.
Faced with various forms of indifferentism, relativism and
agnosticism, some people emphasise the importance of doing the
following: rediscovering the true face of God revealed by Jesus;
decisively affirming the truth; living one's proper identity with
conviction; and fostering the growth of Church communion, also in
ecumenism. Concerning moral matters–considering that the dignity of
the human person, created in the image and likeness of God, is often
denied or trampled upon–some insist that there is an urgent need to
propose a proper integral anthropological vision of the person, the sole
foundation for achieving a society which respects life and the rights of
each and every person. Finally, there exist currents of thought which
seek to combat moral relativism and foster attitudes and virtuous
conduct inspired by values taken from the Gospel and Christian tradition
as well as shared by a lay culture which has been purified of the dogmas
associated with the tragic events of European history in the twentieth
century.
21. An ample detailed description of the various features of today's
Europe is not enough; nor is it sufficient to present various reactions
to the state of affairs. Time also needs to be given to the work of a
discernment which primarily knows how to go to the root of the
matter, seeking to uncover the profound reasons at the source of
these very diversified phenomena. This Synod and the particular Churches
are asked to make this kind of discernment, if they wish to fulfill
their pastoral responsibility.
Concerning the widespread phenomenon of religious indifference,
many have pointed to various reasons in the vast fabric of society. The
following are among the major aspects cited: emergence of a
"philosophy without metaphysics" associated with a weakening
or diminishing of the idea of "questioning the ultimate meaning of
things"; the ever-expanding "individualistic tendencies"
which lead to a society whose purpose is to foster the private interest
of its members rather than, as once held, to promote the ideal and the
common good; the process of "increasing autonomy" identifiable
in a growing desire for self-determination and self- realisation, which
is sometimes also connected with an increase of responsibility and
personal involvement; the complex phenomenon of "secularisation"
and its associated tendencies of social and cultural
"differentiation" (permitting the co-existence of many
religions and religious beliefs in the same area), the "privatisation"
of religion, the "de-sacralisation" of many areas where
religion in the past exercised its influence, often in a determining
manner, and "rationalisation" meant to control effectively
every choice and action.
In addition to the reasons for religious indifference described thus
far, a look at the Church reveals general agreement that religious
indifference is nurtured by certain problems such as: an improper use of
goods and a lack of interest in poverty in its various forms; a certain
indifference on the part of the clergy to people's doubts and the tragic
events of persons in difficulty; the lack of credibility of various
"Churchmen"; the decrease in the number of various places for
the proper formation of Catholic men and women; and the lack of
organisation, at the national and European level, of the Catholic press
and other structures for producing and spreading cultural programs of
Christian inspiration.
22. Underlying and contained in the various phenomena reported and
included among the factors coalescing to determine and explain the
present situation in Europe, a widening separation between private
conscience and public values is easily discernable. It is well to
point out that such a separation is the logical consequence of certain
attitudes and choices determined by culture. When democracy remains
neutral concerning values, every choice necessarily becomes a private
one with no social implications. And if value choices are confined only
to the private domain, they will have no effect in public life. In this
situation, the difference between private values and social
life–because of a dangerous democratic neutrality–cannot help but
grow, resulting in a society which is always less capable of responding
to the diverse calls, coming from many quarters, on the
"meaning" of existence.
In this cultural climate, atheism, agnosticism and religious
indifference arise and become widespread. The religious option also
runs the risk of becoming just another private choice. A consumer
approach to religious experience is being propagated. The fundamental
moral-religious choice is no longer the reference point for all other
choices; it is just "one" of many which contribute to defining
the private identity of the individual.
Even more basic in the matter is the mistaken notion of
freedom–understood and lived as the self-determination of the
individual with no reference point to transcendent and absolute
values–which leads to a mentality and attitudes seen in many areas as
moral relativism, individualistic subjectivism and nihilistic hedonism.
A particularly pressing problem then is the exercise of freedom in
relation to truth, personal conscience and civil law. Freedom is based
on the dignity of the each human person and on the truth that every
person is a child of God. The exercise of freedom implies personal
responsibility, and consequently, the question of truth–the foundation
of freedom–and the common good–the goal of the exercise of freedom
in society.
Finally, at the end of this century, consideration also can be given
to the deep fundamental changes accompanying the decline of
modernity. The actual outcome of this process, however, is not clear.
Tendencies are emerging which are ambivalent and contradictory,
requiring attentive and thorough examination. At the same time, the
birth of post-modernity is taking place in a complex and uncertain
context. If in some cases the mission of the Church in these
circumstances appears more difficult and less anchored to traditional
guarantees, in other cases the changes now taking place in European
countries provide new opportunities for the Church to develop an
efficient organic work of evangelisation.
The Centrality of the "Question of Faith"
23. There is no doubt–as the Holy Father has said(21)–that the
happenings of 1989 gave birth in Europe to a great hope of freedom,
responsibility, solidarity and spirituality. Today, however, this great
hope needs to be renewed and reinforced, because in recent years new
risks have appeared which are clearly not providing hope to Europeans in
our times: "after the collapse of the ideological structure of
Marxism-Leninism not only a lack of orientation can be seen in the
former Communist countries, but also a widespread attachment to
individualistic and selfish systems, as they have been and still are
followed in the West. Such systems can ultimately give no meaning in
life and no hope. At most they can give them temporary satisfaction,
which is then mistaken for individual fulfilment. In a world in which
nothing is really important, in which a person can do whatever he
pleases, there is a danger that the principles, truths and values
carefully acquired over the centuries will be discarded onto the rubbish
heap of an exaggerated liberalism.(22)
It is not difficult to note–as mentioned above–that in the
situation described, the recurring fundamental question regards the
idea of the human person and human freedom. In some ways, the
humanism based on a human dignity which has characterised the history
and experience of Europe needs to be discussed.
This gives rise to the importance of "moral principles"
in the present moment in the history of the European continent.
At the same time, however, underlying this subject is "the
religious question," which can be observed when the two
opposing conceptions of freedom currently in Europe today are
considered: the one based on obedience to God as the "source of
true freedom, which is never an arbitrary freedom and without hope, but
a freedom for the truth and for the good" and the other that,
"having suppressed every subordination of the creature to God, or
to a transcendent order of truth and good, considers man in himself as
the principle and the end of everything(23) and as the unique
unquestionable arbiter and reference of his choices.
24. Flowing from this, in the ultimate analysis, is the centrality
and decisiveness of "the question of faith" in Jesus,
which was highlighted by the Holy Father during his first trip in
Slovenia. He emphasised that in Europe, "the present climate of
anguish and mistrust regarding the meaning of life and the manifest
disorientation of European culture invites us to look in a new way
at the relationship between Christianity and culture, between faith and
reason. A renewed dialogue between culture and Christianity will be
profitable for both; and man above all, who longs for a truer and fuller
life, will be the one to benefit.(24)
The Holy Father further observed: "the encounter between
cultures and faith is a requirement of our search for truth. It ?has
created something new. When they are deeply rooted in experience,
cultures set for the human being's characteristic openness to the
universal and the transcendent' (Encyclical Fides et ratio). This
people will find both help and support in seeking truth, so that, with
the gift of grace, they can meet the One who is their Creator and
Saviour.(25)
In conclusion, it seems that the words of the Holy Father addressed
to Italians can be applied in a certain way to all of Europe. Europe
"which has a famous and, in a certain sense unique, legacy of
faith, has for some time been swept by cultural trends that undermine
the very foundations of this Christian heritage: faith in the
Incarnation and in the Redemption, the specific nature of Christianity,
the certainty that God, through his Son Jesus Christ came out of love in
search of man (cf. Tertio millennio adventiente, nn 6-7).
Instead, these uncertainties have been replaced for many people by a
vague religious sentiment with little impact on their life, or even by
various forms of agnosticism and practical atheism which all result in a
personal and social life that is led etsi Deus non daretur, as if
God did not exist(26)
From this it follows that the Synod and the particular Churches in
Europe urgently need to examine the authenticity and vitality of the
Christian faith of believers in Europe and to help them discover
that faith anew and live it. This should be done with the conviction
that an authentic faith requires encountering Jesus Christ, the Son of
the Living God, having personal communion with him, and accepting the
truth of the Gospel in its entirety, and that the vitality of that faith
requires a person to return to it as the standard of judgment and
choice, thereby giving birth and nurturing a mentality and a manner of
acting which are consistent to God's word and his commandments.
PART II
JESUS CHRIST ALIVE IN HIS CHURCH
Foundation for an authentic, fully-alive faith
25. After the two disciples of Emmaus had confided to Jesus the
reasons for their sadness and dashed hopes, Jesus "said to them, ?O
foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have
spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things
and enter into his glory?' And beginning with Moses and all the
prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things
concerning himself" (Lk 24:25-27). Jesus himself proclaims
his resurrection and leads the two disciples to faith. Quoting the
prophets who preceded him, he explains the plan of God's radiant
mysterious love. Passion and death are not opposed to the Messiah's
liberating action but the very way chosen by God to communicate his
"glory" to humanity, that is, his saving redeeming love. This
announcement– spanning the entire history of the first covenant and
finding its definitive enduring seal in the recognition of the Lord in
the breaking of bread–warms their hearts causing the two to regain
their lost hope.
The account of Emmaus presents a long catechesis intended to lead the
disciples to faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ delivered up to
death. Faithfully reflecting the teaching of the primitive Church, this
text also remains the model today for the Church and her pastoral
activity which is done in a patient, continuous, indefatigable and
courageous witness and preaching destined to enkindle and increase faith
in Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, source and mainstay of a firm and
lasting hope. St. Paul writes, "If for this life only we have hoped
in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied" (1 Cor
15:19).
Faith in the Risen Christ, Revealer of the Glory of God
26. At each moment in history the Church is called to announce
Christ Risen. She–yesterday, today and always, wherever she be, in
whatever continent of the earth, such as Europe–is sent to speak not
of herself but Christ crucified and risen.
She has fulfilled this task from the very beginning, as illustrated
in the first sermon of Peter at Pentecost: "Men of Israel, hear
these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty
works and wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst, as
you yourself know–this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite
plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of
lawless men. But God raised him up, having loosed the pangs of death,
because it was not possible for him to be held by it...Let all the house
of Israel therefore know assuredly that God has made him both Lord and
Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." (Acts 2:22-24,36).
With Peter's words the Church proclaims with conviction in every age
that Jesus Christ is alive, actively present in the Church and changing
lives.
She does so in every age because "the Resurrection of Jesus is
the crowning truth of our faith in Christ, believed and lived as the
central truth of the first Christian community, handed on as fundamental
by Tradition, established by the documents of the New Testament,
preached as the essential part of the Paschal mystery along with the
Cross: ?Christ is risen from the dead! Dying he conquered death; To the
dead, he has given life'" (Byzantine Liturgy, Troparion
of Easter).(27)
This has also been the explicit intention of the Second Vatican
Council which the Synod desires to take up anew and to fulfill: to
proclaim to the Church herself and to announce to the world "Christ
Our Principle, Christ, Our Life and Guide! Christ Our Hope and End!(28)
The fullness of the glory of God is revealed in Christ, dead and
risen again. Jesus is the hope of man, the hope of Europe and the hope
of the world, because he is for all of humanity the only way leading to
the Father (cf. Jn 14:6-7), the foundation and ultimate goal of
life for every person and everything, because between him and the Father
there is a sublime, ineffable and reciprocal intimacy (cf. Jn 14:10),
because he and the Father are one (cf. Jn 10:30), because he is
God himself.
27. Because of this faith and encounter with the Risen Christ,
it is possible for the members of the Church today–as it was for the
disciples at Emmaus–to take a look at history, read the Scriptures and
discover in the pages of the Old Testament the signs, types and
traces of Christ's presence: an anticipated and prefigured reality
which reaches its fulfilment in the Crucified and Risen Christ.
Peter proclaimed this truth on Pentecost, when, re-reading the facts
of Christ's life which led him to profess Christ as Messiah and Lord, he
saw the testimony of the Scriptures as precisely pointing to Jesus (cf. Acts
2:17- 21, 25-28, 34-35). Paul did the same thing when, re-reading
the history of Israel, particularly the episode of the water flowing
from the rock at Massa and Meriba (cf. Ex 17:1-7; Num
20:1-11), affirms: "...all drank the same supernatural drink. For
they drank from the supernatural Rock which followed them, and the Rock
was Christ" (1 Cor 10:4).
The Synod can and ought to re-read Scripture and again discover the
signs, deeds and words which are "types" of Christ and his
presence. Such a reading must also be done in moments of difficulty,
fatigue and trial, all the while without losing hope and with the
conviction that–as the Lord did not abandon Israel in the desert after
their departure from Egypt, but "went before them by day in a
pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of
fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and night" (Ex
13:21)–today also, the same Lord is present in every event of history,
guiding his people. The Church can therefore repeat with the Prophet
Zephaniah: "Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and Exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! ... The
King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear evil no more.
... Do not fear, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. The Lord your God
is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you
with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you
with loud singing as on a day of festival" (Zeph 3:14-18),
because she knows that these words find their definitive fulfilment in
the Risen Christ.
Because of this same faith in the risen Lord and the encounter
with him living and present, the synod can and must take a new look
at human history and world history–and consequently at the past
and present events of Europe–discovering in persons and events a
reference to Christ and his being "God with us".
The Need for Jesus Christ
28. Guided and enlightened by this renewed faith vision which allows
people to recognise in Christ, crucified and risen, the centre of
history and the world, it is not difficult to see that secularisation,
or more properly de- Christianisation, is occurring in Europe, at
times dramatically carrying with it a kind of diffused neo-paganism.
Though consistent and widespread, the process, however, is not
complete as evidenced by calls for spirituality and religion. Such a
trend, however, cannot be immediately qualified as Christian, because
the eclectic and relativistic character of these calls makes it very
difficult for them to recognise Jesus Christ as the only Saviour. They
are for the most part calls internal to–and undoubtedly a reaction
to–the social and cultural processes.
At the same time, however, it must be recognised that "a search
for religious experience remains, even though in various forms which do
not easily cohere with each other and often lead far from authentic
Christian faith". In such a search "the whole of Europe is
again faced with the challenge of a new choice for God.(29)
The work ahead is not simply to maintain the status quo, but
todeclare anew that Jesus Christ alive in his Church is the one and
only truth and the steadfast source of hope.
A similar conclusion emerged from the First Special Assembly for
Europe of the Synod of Bishops. The Synod came to the clear
understanding that the Church cannot be simply an agent of civilisation,
even of one more genuinely human. Instead, she must announce the Gospel
for her own good and in fidelity to its contents. She must help today's
men and women live a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus based on
the beatitudes. It follows then that "Europe today must not simply
appeal to its former Christian heritage: it needs to be able to decide
about Europe's future in conformity with the person and message of Jesus
Christ.(30) As in the past, what matters today is to provide men and
women in Europe with a personal encounter with the living Lord Jesus, an
encounter which is open to the experience of discipleship, to fostering
that experience and sustaining it. It bears repeating that the centre of
the Gospel–and consequently of proclamation–is a God alive and near,
who is communicated in an experience of communion already begun and open
to a sure hope of eternal life, in the conviction that "if the
Church preaches this God, she is not speaking of some unknown God, but
of the God who so loved us that his Son took flesh for us. It is the God
who comes to us, who shares himself with us, who unites himself with us,
the true ?Emmanuel' (cf. Mt 1:23).(31) At the same time, it follows that
all the teachings of the Gospel must be re-proposed, primarily those
which concern the person, his existence and the related truths, fully
aware that "the cause of God is in no way opposed to the cause of
humanity. It is rather purely earthly promises which–as recent history
shows–eventually enslaves men and women totally.(32)
After eight years, the path taken must be re-assessed and followed
with greater decisiveness and determination. The words of the Holy
Father can serve as a guide in this task: "If Europe is to have a
new encounter with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the first thing necessary
is for Christians to experience a spiritual breakthrough, a new
determination and joy in the faith. Only in that way can they give ?an
account of (their) hope'; only in that way can the faith become a
spiritually and culturally creative force once again.(33)
With this goal in mind, the Synod intends first of all to propose
anew faith in the Lord Jesus risen and alive, the one and only Saviour,
present in his Church. At this moment, on the threshold of the Third
Millennium–in the wake of the Second Vatican Council, which the Holy
Father called "a providential event, whereby the Church began the
more immediate preparation for the Jubilee(34) of the Year 2000–the
Synod wishes to assist the particular Churches in Europe towards a
renewed awareness of the "multiple yet one, permanent yet
stimulating, mysterious yet most clear, stringent and beatifying rapport
between us and the Blessed Lord, between this holy and living Church,
which we are, and Christ, from whom we come, for whom we live and
towards whom we are moving.(35) Like the Council, the Synod desires to
profess and celebrate the Lord Jesus Christ as "the Incarnate word,
Son of God and Son of Man, Redeemer of the world, that is, the Hope of
humanity and the Supreme Master, the Shepherd, Bread of life, our Priest
and Victim, Sole Mediator between God and Man, Saviour of the world,
King for age upon age.(36)
Christ Risen, the One and Only Saviour
29. The Church's task is to re-affirm with force and conviction that Christ
is necessary for humanity: necessary for salvation and the full
realisation of human values.
In the words of Pope Paul VI, the particular Churches of Europe today
are called to repeat with a genuine impassioned faith that "Christ
is necessary, without him one cannot do anything; without him one cannot
live";(37) "Christ is our Saviour. Christ is our Supreme
Benefactor. Christ is our Liberator. Christ is necessary for us, so as
to be persons worthy and true in the temporal order, and saved and
elevated in the supernatural order.(38)
On various occasions the Holy Father has spoken to the women and men
of Europe and emphasised that the Synod wants to proclaim Jesus Christ
as the Lord of history, the content and vital centre of the message of
salvation, the way, the truth and the life (cf. Jn 14:6), who is
the only valid response in every generation and the point of departure
of the new evangelisation. He is our Easter. In him, through his cross
and resurrection, God is forever united to humanity in a new and eternal
covenant. He is the secret of Europe's strength. Jesus is, today and
always, the source of hope, because in him the promises of God are fully
realised. He reveals to us, in all truth, that our God is a faithful
God, who keeps his promises and brings them to completion.
Jesus is the one who frees a person from every slavery. He is the
only one who is able to fulfill fully the irrepressible aspiration for
freedom. He is the definitive response to life's meaning and to the
fundamental questions which many men and women of Europe are asking
today, because in him alone the deepest aspirations of the person
find a full and proper response. Recently, the Holy Father has also
affirmed that the Synod intends to proclaim Christ as the one who
"fully reveals man to himself in his fullness as a child of God, in
his inalienable dignity as a person, in the greatness of his intellect,
which can attain truth, and of his will, which can act rightly.(39)
Furthermore, this is fully in keeping with the humanism of Eastern and
Western Europe, even if–as John Paul II has emphasised–"with
the passing of time, especially in ?modern' times, Christ, the creator
of the European spirit, the creator of the freedom that has its saving
roots in him, was, as it were, put on a shelf, and people set about
inventing another European mentality, a mentality we can describe with
the phrase: "we think and act as if God did not exist.(40)
30. In the context of the present increasing religious pluralism in
Europe, the Synod also intends to proclaim that Christ is the one and
only Saviour of all humanity and, consequently, to assert the absolute
uniqueness of Christianity in relation to other religions. In the wake
of conciliar teaching and more recent pronouncements of the
magisterium(41), the task at hand is to renew one's faith and proclaim
that Jesus is the one and only mediator of salvation for all of
humanity. Only in him do humanity, history and the cosmos find their
definitively positive meaning and receive their full realisation. He is
not only the mediator of salvation but salvation's source. "There
is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven
given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
Inspired by the clear affirmation of Peter, on the vigil of the Great
Jubilee of the Year 2000, His Holiness John Paul II voiced the urgent
need of illustrating and examining in depth "that Christ is the one
Mediator between God and the sole Redeemer of the world, to be clearly
distinguished from the founders of other great religions. With sincere
esteem, the Church regards the elements of truth found in those
religions as a reflection of the Truth which enlightens all men and
women.(42)
Jesus is Present in the Church
31. Even in great difficulties, when hope grows dim and faith is in
crisis, Jesus is present. He does not abandon his Church but walks with
her as a companion along the way. In the pilgrimage of the Church
through time, he travels with her, never abandoning his beloved spouse
but providing for her and accompanying her with a delicacy which attests
to the absolutely gratuitous character of his love.
Once again, the story of the two travellers of Emmaus can serve as a
teaching: "...Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their
eyes were kept from recognising him" (Lk 24:15-16). Even if
not recognised, Jesus is present, walks their streets, makes himself the
gracious travel companion and guide. St. Augustine writes: "he
walked along the road as a travel companion, indeed it was he who led
them. They saw him, but they did not recognise him. Their eyes–as we
understand–were impeded from recognising him. They were kept not from
seeing him, but only from recognising him.(43)
The faith which the Church has always professed, and continues to
profess, is that Jesus, ascended into heaven and glorified, continues to
be present on earth in his Church: "When his visible presence was
taken from them, Jesus did not leave his disciples orphans (cf. Jn
14:18). He promised to remain with them until the end of time (cf. Matt
28:20); he sent them his Spirit (cf. Jn 20:22; Acts 2:23).
As a result, communion with Jesus has become, in a way, more intense:
?By communicating his Spirit, Christ mystically constitutes as his body
those brothers of his who are called together from every nation' (Lumen
gentium, 7).(44) Jesus continues to act through the powerful
intervention of the Spirit, the Paraclete, who is the continuing and
faithful "memory" of what Jesus has said and done (cf. Jn
14:26) and who, day by day, forms Jesus in the Church and his disciples,
rendering them in this way the living body of Christ.
32. The manner in which Jesus is present in the Church–as the
Council teaches–is diverse and varied: "...Christ is always
present in his Church, especially in her liturgical celebrations. He is
present in the sacrifice of the Mass, not only in the person of his
minister..., but especially under the Eucharistic species. By his power
he is present in the sacraments... He is present in his word, since it
is he himself who speaks when the holy Scriptures are read in the
Church. He is present, finally, when the Church prays and sings, for he
promised: ?Where two or three are gathered together for my sake, there
am I in the midst of them' (Mt 18:20).(45) He is still
"present in the Church as she performs her works of mercy, not just
because whatever good we do to one of his least brethren we do to Christ
himself (cf. Mt 25:40), but also because Christ is the one who
performs these works through the Church and who continually helps men
with his divine love. He is present in the Church as she moves along on
her pilgrimage with a longing to reach the portals of eternal life, for
she is the one who dwells in our hearts through faith (cf.Eph
3:17), and who instills charity in them through the Holy Spirit whom he
gives.(46) He is present "in the poor, the sick and the imprisoned
(cf. Mt 25:31-46), and in the sacraments of which he is the
author.(47) Another special presence of the Lord is seen also in
individuals who are particularly near to him in holiness. "In the
lives of those who shared in our humanity and yet were transformed into
especially successful images of Christ (cf. 2 Cor 3:18), God
vividly manifests to men his presence and his face. He speaks to us in
them, and gives us a sign of his kingdom...(48) Along the same lines,
the presence of Jesus is realised in families, groups, movements and
parish communities where persons live and incarnate the new commandment
of love through acts of love (cf. Jn 15:1-17). His presence is
manifested in the concrete circumstances of a Christian community which,
with one heart and soul, lives in love, thereby putting into action the
teachings of the Apostolic Church (cf. Acts 2:42-48; 4:32-35).
Jesus is so present in his Church, his body, that the activity of
the Church is a participation in the mission of Jesus. All that the
Church "has" and "is" is the fruit of Christ's gift
of himself in love. The Church is not only "born" from love
and the gift of Christ himself who loved her and gave himself up for her
(cf. Eph 5:25), but she "is" this love of self-giving
made visible and operative in history. Therefore, as Christ is the
"sacrament" of the Father, so the Church is the
"sacrament" of Christ's love. Because of this, she has her
being; and for this purpose, she is sent by Christ into the world.
Therefore, in various ways, despite the fragile nature and imperfections
of her members, the Church represents the Lord, shares in his mission of
salvation and is animated and sustained by the power of his Spirit. St.
Ambrose wrote: "The Church shines not with her own light, but with
the splendour of Christ...(49) of which she is the living sacrament.
"Indeed, great is the awareness of our limitations, but equally
great is our certainty of his presence and his constant saving
intervention.(50) The Synod intends openly to make this profession of
faith. This is also the fundamental reason underlying the examination of
conscience which the Synod wishes to encourage in the local Churches in
Europe.
The Church: "Mystery" and "Communion"
33. The proclamation of the presence of Jesus in his Church leads to
a consideration of the Church as "mystery" and
"communion".
To speak of the Church as "mystery" means to affirm
her sacramental nature and emphasise her source in the mystery of Christ
who begot her. The Church is the gift of God, manifested in Jesus Christ
and communicated through the Spirit from whom she proceeds and who gives
her life. The Church is the Paschal mystery of Christ, announced through
the Word and made present in the sacraments which are the font of her
existence and mission. In this sense, "...the Church is Christ's
instrument. ?She is taken up by him also as the instrument of the
salvation of all' (Lumen gentium, 1), ?the universal sacrament of
salvation' (ibid., 48), by which Christ is ?at once manifesting
and actualising the mystery of God's love for men' (Gaudium et spes,
45). The Church ?is the visible plan of God's love for humanity' (PAUL
VI, Address, 22 June 1973), because God desires ?that the whole
human race may become one People of God, form one Body of Christ, and be
built up into one temple of the Holy Spirit (Ad gentes, 7, cf. Lumen
gentium, 17).(51)
To speak of the Church as communion means to affirm that the
Church is not only united "around Christ" but is united
"in him", in his Body.(52) "Christ and his Church thus
together make up the ?whole Christ' ... The Church is this Body
of which Christ is the head; she lives from him, in him and for him; he
lives with her and in her.(53) Certain of this, each member of the
Church can and ought to repeat—as did St. Joan of Arc in front of her
judges–"Jesus Christ and the Church are one and this should raise
no difficulty." This statement makes reference to the Church's communio
which is grounded in communion with God in the Holy Spirit through Jesus
Christ, becomes a reality in ecclesial communion and moves outward
towards the communion of all humanity.
34. In light of this, the perception in Europe of the Church as
mystery varie |
