Catholic bishops `wish to be committed Europeans'

Europe's Catholic bishops have said that "as Christians, we wish to be, and we invite you to be, committed Europeans".

They were "ready to make our contribution to the Europe of today and tomorrow, treasuring the precious heritage left us by `the founding fathers' of the united Europe".

In a message yesterday, as the Synod of European Bishops ended in Rome, they made specific appeals "to those . . . who have specific responsibility for the future of our continent", and asked them to "pursue the process of European integration with courage and urgency, widening the circle of member countries of the Union", and to "respond to the growing phenomenon of migration with justice and equity and with a great sense of solidarity".

They urged the raising "of voices when the rights of individuals, minorities and peoples are violated, beginning with the right to religious freedom".

They welcomed the appeal to wipe out "or at least reduce - as some countries have already done - the international debt of developing nations".

They said they "joyfully recognise the growing openness of peoples to one another, the reconciliation between nations which have long been hostile and at odds, the progressive opening of the unifying process to the countries of Eastern Europe."

They noted "that the whole of this process is developing according to democratic procedures, in a peaceful way and in a spirit of freedom, which respects and values legitimate diversity".

They welcomed "with satisfaction" all that had been done to clarify the conditions and methods for respecting human rights and, in the context of legitimate and necessary economic and political unity in Europe, hoped that by "creatively keeping to the humanist and Christian traditions of our continent, the primacy of ethical and spiritual values will be guaranteed."

They welcomed "with particular satisfaction" the common declaration on the doctrine of justification which will be signed by representatives of the Catholic and Lutheran churches at Augsburg on October 31st.

They prayed "may we rediscover those bonds which unite us with our `elder brothers' of the Jewish faith" and "let us be open to a respectful and mature dialogue with those of other religions . . ."