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From a demographic viewpoint, it must unfortunately be ascertained that Europe seems headed on a road which could leave it out of History [portarla al congedo dalla storia: literally, "lead it to take its leave from History"].
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If, on the occasion of the 50th [anniversary] of the Treaties of Rome, the governments of the [European] Union wish to "get close" to their citizens, how could [the former] exclude an essential element of the European identity as Christianity, with which a vast majority of [the latter] identify themselves? Is it not a reason for surprise that contemporary Europe, with an ambition of becoming a community of values, seems always and increasingly to contest that there are universal and absolute values? Does not this singular form of "apostasy" from itself, even more than from God, induce it perhaps to doubt its own identity? The conviction that the "balance of goods" is the only way for moral discernment and that common good is a synonym for compromise is thus widened. In reality, if compromise may constitute a legitimate balance of diverse particular interests, it turns into common evil every time it includes agreements [which are] hurtful to human nature.
A community which builds itself up with no respect for the authentic dignity of the human being, forgetting that every person is created in the image of God, ends up not doing good to anyone.
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Benedict XVI
Audience to the participants
of the Congress of the Commission of Episcopates of the European Community
Audience to the participants
of the Congress of the Commission of Episcopates of the European Community
