The main theme of the first report on the Colloquium of European Parishes, delivered on July 29 by Austrian professor Paul Zulehner is "Where Pope Francis is leading our Church in Europe." On November 25, 2014, Pope Francis visited the Council of Europe and the European Parliament. His message to the European Parliament was: freedom, justice, truth and peace. That's what the Pope wants to convey to people.
The main theme of the first report on the Colloquium of European Parishes, delivered on July 29 by Austrian professor Paul Zulehner is "Where Pope Francis is leading our Church in Europe." On November 25, 2014, Pope Francis visited the Council of Europe and the European Parliament. His message to the European Parliament was: freedom, justice, truth and peace. That's what the Pope wants to convey to people.
Highlights of the report:
1.Freedom.
How can the Catholic Church become a reliable advocate of freedom? Shall it encourage people to be free? Strengthen families? The Church is an advocate of freedom. The one who bends knee to God never bends knee to a party. The martyrs of the UGCC are those who fought and gave away their lives for freedom, for these ideals. The call from Pope John Paul II to Christians in Eastern Europe in 1978: "Do not be afraid!" to a decisive extent contributed to the spiritual and political liberation of the Eastern bloc. The Pope then acted as the Harbinger of Freedom and helped millions of Ukrainians to become free.
2. Justice. If you want peace – prepare justice. Only justice leads to peace.
3.Truth.
Europe has made positive progress, facing the challenges of freedom and justice, because, apart from Greek, Roman, German and Slavic cultural treasures, it was based on Christianity. Christianity bases personal freedom on the dignity of each person as an image of God. Such restoration of connection between each person and God ("religion" from lat. religare) makes a persom immune to all totalitarian possession: in politics (John-Paul II!), but also in Economics, science, administration.
4. Peace (in Europe) also includes mutual respect for peoples and the value of cultural and religious diversity. The diversity of European peoples and religions is not a threat, but an enrichment. The task of the Church is to build a bridge between religions, not a struggle.
5. Soul Of Europe
We must give Europe a soul, Europe must find a soul, its humane spirit. Pope Francis calls: "The future of Europe depends on the restoration of life-giving link between body and soul."