At the end of its autumn assembly, Comece, the conference of episcopates of the European Union, published a declaration calling on the EU to offer a renewed vision of justice and peace. They regret that the world seems to be regressing into a dangerous dynamic reminiscent of humanity’s darkest hours.
Russia’s war against Ukraine, the suffering of Armenians in the Caucasus, Israelis and Palestinians: the bishops of the European Union (EU) published a statement at the end of their autumn plenary assembly this Friday, November 10 in which they directly challenge European leaders. They give them a damning report on the state of the world which “seems to be regressing into a dangerous dynamic, reminiscent of the darkest hours of humanity which were supposed to remain in the history books”.
Comece is thus concerned about the repercussions of the polarization of different political actors at the international level and regional instabilities for European societies, which fuels “fears”, weakens “dialogue” and threatens “social cohesion”. The bishops “strongly condemn all forms and expressions of anti-Semitism, radicalization and xenophobia, which often result […] in violent extremism and terrorism”, which are gaining ground in several European countries.
In view of the 2024 European elections, Comece calls on European politicians to work for “a Europe which fully uses its potential to resolve conflicts and light up lights of hope, by acting as a united, confident and integrating force, which cherishes democratic principles and the rule of law, within and beyond its borders.
The episcopate also encourages national elected officials to play an active role in redefining a vision for stability, justice and peace. “Without giving in to a logic of war, the European Union should open new processes of dialogue and develop a coherent peace diplomacy [and] demonstrate leadership in the reconstruction of a global architecture of peace anchored in effective multilateralism and respect for international law” finally write the bishops.
This article is originally published on .vaticannews.va
