God bless the EU
Old Church doctrine contained the concept of a perfect community (societas perfecta), relating to both the state and the Church, and indicating that each had at its disposal absolutely all the means necessary for human life. It was obviously a doctrine of a hostile separation of the two entities, placing them in opposition to each other: a decision to join one implied a rejection of the other.
It is different nowadays. The Church and the European Union are just two among many social entities, comparable perhaps in their status before international law, but fundamentally different in their origins. In spite of this, neither should have an "unorganised" influence on the other, nor should they ignore each other. Neither is a societas perfecta.
If, however, the EU, increasingly focused on administration and finance, may somewhat nonchalantly afford to exclude religion from the centre of its attention, the Church must not ignore the socio-economic conditions of its members. The pastoral function must take into account society's perceptions and the visions of its makeup, and refer to conscience in its minimal form, that is, the observance of justice. It must not be an exclusively temporary or elitist influence, as the consequences of grand politics are felt primarily by the masses. And for many of the congregation, European integration is sadly an abstract and incomprehensible process, accompanied - as is the way with all new phenomena - by numerous fears and frustrations.
The Church's role in these circumstances must consist of offering its members able assistance so as to demonstrate the deeper meaning of the whole process and its wider implications, while understanding the fears and prejudices surrounding it.
On March 21, 2002 the Polish Bishops' Conference made a statement supporting the process of EU integration as an opportunity that Poland should take. It also named the conditions that the future united Europe should fulfil: "inclusion in the European structures should not mean that national, political and cultural sovereignty, or religious identity, be given up." The bishops also expressed their support for the proposition that the future European Constitutional Treaty should contain a reference to God in the form of Invocatio Dei, as well as expected unequivocal guarantees for the protection of human life from conception to natural death and the recognition of marriage as a relationship exclusively between a man and a woman under European law. It was also stipulated that EU legislation recognise the legal status of churches and other religious denominations. It was then a voice in favour of Poland's membership, but at the same time it took seriously the whole process of continental unification, which cannot be reduced to economic calculations of gain and loss, budgets and balances, and colourful symbols.
The Church's decision to issue a statement on European integration reflects the deep concerns of the bishops with the anti-European propaganda produced by certain vocal Catholic groups. Representatives of this camp, which may be identified in part with Radio Maryja and Nasz Dziennik, are characterised by the simple automatic adoption of the "defensive ministration" model from the previous system. Complicated, difficult to understand mechanisms at work in the EU are represented as a liberal-Masonic conspiracy. The EU is seen as one of the major forces desiring a practical termination of all the components of the religious and national identity of Poland. This way of thinking and evangelisation has met with criticism from the Primate himself. It also clouds and depreciates the huge amount of work put into reliable information and pro-European initiatives by Catholic organisations, such as the Jesuits' OCIPE, Dominicans' ESPACES, Saint Wojciech Forum, Catholic Information Agency, Social Publishing Institute Znak and the Papal Academy of Theology.
All these pro-integration activities of the Church remain in accordance with the positive teachings of the Pope, striving towards the transformation of Poles' consciousness towards responsibility not only for their own religious identity, but also for the future shape of Europe. During a recent visit to the country, the Holy Father once again reiterated his opinion: "I hope that, observing these values, Polish society, which has belonged to Europe, will find its proper place within the European Community and will not only avoid losing its identity, but will enrich the continent and the whole world with that tradition."
European integration is then a challenge for the Church in Poland. It demands primarily a consideration of how great a challenge it is, defining as far as possible all the conditions and circumstances and pointing out opportunities and dangers inherent in the enterprise. The Church, as it is not interested in privileges following accession, or even, as Catholic euro-sceptics think, in any particular danger of losing some of the congregation, is in a position to speak about it with credibility. And it says "yes," albeit without much enthusiasm, as the early rationale and ideals of the founding fathers of Europe have lost much of their significance in the historical development of the EU.
It would not be easy for Robert Schuman (a candidate for sainthood), Alcide de Gasperi and Konrad Adenauer, who are credited with creating the European Community - the EU's forerunner - to vote today in favour of one institution, where mere casual haggling has assumed so much significance. It is bad not only for the union, but also for the whole continent, when the great leveller of the common currency overrides Europe's wonderment at the world, spiritual subtlety and cultural sensitivity. The race towards the laurel for "the most competitive economy in the world" is neither the most appropriate, nor the most necessary for Europe and the world at the moment.
Such an economic societas perfecta may finally come to feel very lonely, or senselessly endangered. But we are not abandoning hope.
It is different nowadays. The Church and the European Union are just two among many social entities, comparable perhaps in their status before international law, but fundamentally different in their origins. In spite of this, neither should have an "unorganised" influence on the other, nor should they ignore each other. Neither is a societas perfecta.
If, however, the EU, increasingly focused on administration and finance, may somewhat nonchalantly afford to exclude religion from the centre of its attention, the Church must not ignore the socio-economic conditions of its members. The pastoral function must take into account society's perceptions and the visions of its makeup, and refer to conscience in its minimal form, that is, the observance of justice. It must not be an exclusively temporary or elitist influence, as the consequences of grand politics are felt primarily by the masses. And for many of the congregation, European integration is sadly an abstract and incomprehensible process, accompanied - as is the way with all new phenomena - by numerous fears and frustrations.
The Church's role in these circumstances must consist of offering its members able assistance so as to demonstrate the deeper meaning of the whole process and its wider implications, while understanding the fears and prejudices surrounding it.
On March 21, 2002 the Polish Bishops' Conference made a statement supporting the process of EU integration as an opportunity that Poland should take. It also named the conditions that the future united Europe should fulfil: "inclusion in the European structures should not mean that national, political and cultural sovereignty, or religious identity, be given up." The bishops also expressed their support for the proposition that the future European Constitutional Treaty should contain a reference to God in the form of Invocatio Dei, as well as expected unequivocal guarantees for the protection of human life from conception to natural death and the recognition of marriage as a relationship exclusively between a man and a woman under European law. It was also stipulated that EU legislation recognise the legal status of churches and other religious denominations. It was then a voice in favour of Poland's membership, but at the same time it took seriously the whole process of continental unification, which cannot be reduced to economic calculations of gain and loss, budgets and balances, and colourful symbols.
The Church's decision to issue a statement on European integration reflects the deep concerns of the bishops with the anti-European propaganda produced by certain vocal Catholic groups. Representatives of this camp, which may be identified in part with Radio Maryja and Nasz Dziennik, are characterised by the simple automatic adoption of the "defensive ministration" model from the previous system. Complicated, difficult to understand mechanisms at work in the EU are represented as a liberal-Masonic conspiracy. The EU is seen as one of the major forces desiring a practical termination of all the components of the religious and national identity of Poland. This way of thinking and evangelisation has met with criticism from the Primate himself. It also clouds and depreciates the huge amount of work put into reliable information and pro-European initiatives by Catholic organisations, such as the Jesuits' OCIPE, Dominicans' ESPACES, Saint Wojciech Forum, Catholic Information Agency, Social Publishing Institute Znak and the Papal Academy of Theology.
All these pro-integration activities of the Church remain in accordance with the positive teachings of the Pope, striving towards the transformation of Poles' consciousness towards responsibility not only for their own religious identity, but also for the future shape of Europe. During a recent visit to the country, the Holy Father once again reiterated his opinion: "I hope that, observing these values, Polish society, which has belonged to Europe, will find its proper place within the European Community and will not only avoid losing its identity, but will enrich the continent and the whole world with that tradition."
European integration is then a challenge for the Church in Poland. It demands primarily a consideration of how great a challenge it is, defining as far as possible all the conditions and circumstances and pointing out opportunities and dangers inherent in the enterprise. The Church, as it is not interested in privileges following accession, or even, as Catholic euro-sceptics think, in any particular danger of losing some of the congregation, is in a position to speak about it with credibility. And it says "yes," albeit without much enthusiasm, as the early rationale and ideals of the founding fathers of Europe have lost much of their significance in the historical development of the EU.
It would not be easy for Robert Schuman (a candidate for sainthood), Alcide de Gasperi and Konrad Adenauer, who are credited with creating the European Community - the EU's forerunner - to vote today in favour of one institution, where mere casual haggling has assumed so much significance. It is bad not only for the union, but also for the whole continent, when the great leveller of the common currency overrides Europe's wonderment at the world, spiritual subtlety and cultural sensitivity. The race towards the laurel for "the most competitive economy in the world" is neither the most appropriate, nor the most necessary for Europe and the world at the moment.
Such an economic societas perfecta may finally come to feel very lonely, or senselessly endangered. But we are not abandoning hope.
