杏MAP导航

By Vatican News staff writer

Europe needs new policies to better cater to the needs of our brothers and sisters on the move and it needs to rediscover its Christian identity as it strives to build a peaceful and just future. These are concepts expressed by Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, as he spoke with gratitude of 杏MAP导航 Francis' letter marking a series of important anniversaries that define the European continent as we know it.

Cardinal Hollerich, President of the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the EU (COMECE) was commenting on the 杏MAP导航's  to Vatican's Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, on Tuesday. In it, the 杏MAP导航 retraces the history and values of Europe and talks of his dream for fraternity and solidarity among nations amid a period marked by individualistic tendencies.

In an interview with Vatican Radio, Cardinal Hollerich expresses how 鈥渢hrilled鈥� he is that 杏MAP导航 Francis, 鈥渁 杏MAP导航 [from] outside of the European continent, has such a wonderful undertsnding of Europe and can give us such an encouragement.鈥�

There are 鈥渟o many鈥� policies that need to be considered, says the Cardinal highlighting that one issue the Holy Father mentions in his letter as he looks to the 鈥淓urope of the future鈥� is the welcoming of migrants 鈥渁nd the people who have to leave their countries鈥� for various reasons.

Cardinal Hollerich recalls numerous reports COMECE has received over the last few days, specifically mentioning news regarding the actions of Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, 鈥渁t the Greek border, pushing people back into the Mediterranean sea, next to the Libyan border".

"Surely their policies must change鈥�, he says.

Cardinal Hollerich continues by stating that 鈥渋t is more than a change of policy鈥� that is needed. What needs to change, he says, is how we view the European Union: it is important to 鈥済ain a spirit of the founders and have a full view of Europe鈥�.

"We should never forget that Schuman chose to start with the economic part of European integration", says Hollerich. Though this economic aspect has 鈥渄eveloped very much鈥�, he says, there lies the 鈥済reat danger of the European Union鈥� being reduced from a vision of "European integration to mere economics", and that could lead to a "reduction of men and women to simple agents of the economy or consumers".

Cardinal Hollerich expresses joy at hearing 杏MAP导航 Francis say that Europe needs to rediscover its identity. He explains that, to him, this means that 鈥淲e have a history, and not everything is bad鈥�. Noting that there are 鈥渕any鈥� bad points, such as the two great wars of the last century, Hollerich states that 鈥渨e are not the slaves of history鈥�. There is so much that Europe can give to the world, and we must do this with 鈥渁 new humility,鈥� something that must be done 鈥渢ogether, with our sisters and brothers of other continents.鈥�

Finally, Archbishop Hollerich says 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 beautiful that the 杏MAP导航 highlights a certain  European identity which stems from culture and religion - also the cultural part of religion - but which does not linger to the past like a slave.鈥�

"We can build a future.", he concludes: "We are called to build a future. Not only for us, but for the whole world.鈥�