(from Nemi) “We hope, of course, that the subjectivity of Europe will emerge, but as a community of peoples in peace and for peace”. Mons. Giuseppe Baturi, Archbishop of Cagliari and Secretary General of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, outlined the perspective of the Italian Church on the major issues facing Europe following the Paris Summit, which brought together Europe’s top leaders to discuss issues such as military assistance, peace talks, the future of Ukraine and EU troops. Monsignor Baturi attended the Spring Plenary Assembly of COMECE, the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union, on Friday. The meeting focused on European unity and the commitment to be a “global actor for peace”. “This subjectivity must of course leave room for a common approach to foreign policy,” the bishop told SIR on the sidelines of the meeting. “But we remain unconvinced by the idea of relying on rearmament to achieve this.”
Where does the Church stand in relation to the need for common defence and Pope Francis’ call for peace?
It is essential, we believe, to pursue programmes that will benefit the poorest, and, above all, to ensure that the language we use is truly inclusive.
We also believe that diplomacy is fundamental, and that it must be pursued through encounters and dialogue with all parties.
Therefore, the Europe we envision is capable of recovering its initial drive to promote friendship and peace, gathering all the necessary tools to make this possible. Cardinal Zuppi, the President, expressed the need to join forces, including those of different cultural traditions, referring to a European Camaldoli. The Church’s heritage is offered as a contribution to the recovery of a loftier concept of Europe.
The Ventotene Manifesto has been the object of controversy and confrontation. Never before has Europe been at the centre of such a divisive debate. What does the Church call for?
We are calling for a long-term vision.
Not to focus on the small picture. In some very important speeches in and about Europe, the Pope called on us to recover a soul. Our task now is to reflect on the specific soul we need to recover, to ensure that Europe is loved by its citizens and that everyone is committed to taking their share of responsibility. Consider the Mediterranean Sea, which is very important to us. It is impossible to imagine a Europe of friendship and peace without including the Mediterranean and the nations bordering this common sea. We hope that the Mediterranean will become a region of peace and dialogue rather than one of confrontation and conflict. The invitation to rediscover our farsightedness is therefore an invitation to bring together different traditions and to discuss, to understand what kind of Europe the world needs and how Europe can be loved and viewed positively by its citizens.
The Mediterranean has become an open-air mass grave. You mentioned long-term vision. What does it mean in concrete terms to have a far-sighted approach to the management of migration inflows?
First of all, handling of the migration phenomenon must be a joint effort by Italy and other countries. There must be a global approach to a global phenomenon. It is equally important to adopt an integral approach to the phenomenon in its various aspects: support for the poorest populations, making migration a choice and not a necessity; ensuring protection along the migration route and, consequently, activating and increasing legal migration and employment channels; the question of reception, because human lives must always be saved; and, finally, the question of integration, which is never assimilation but must never be ghettoisation. Immediate action is needed to save human lives, followed by a broader reflection to bring together, without prejudice, visions and competences to fully address this phenomenon in all its dimensions.
The Church has acted in this way and will continue along these lines, dialoguing with everyone, recognising the differences and at the same time putting forward her own proposals.
