The CCEE Plenary Assembly, this year in online mode, concluded with the approval of the Final Message to Europe
The European Bishops encourage peoples and nations not to shut themselves away, to look to tomorrow with a rediscovered confidence while walking together in the light of the Risen Christ and committing themselves to renewed solidarity in the knowledge that they are close to one another.
“At the end of the Plenary Assembly, the Bishops of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE) address a word to the Catholic Church living on the Continent, to the Christians of the various confessions, to the believers of every Religion, and to all European citizens.
We do this with humility, knowing that we have no wisdom of our own to bring, but only the Word that God spoke to the world in Jesus Christ, who died and rose again so that humanity might have eternal life.
We do this out of a sense of responsibility as Shepherds of the communities, knowing that our priests and our faithful are united with us and aware that the Church must be, by the Lord’s indication, salt and leaven in history.
During this time our Assembly prayed and reflected not only on what is happening regarding the pandemic and its repercussions on the life of each individual, on work, on society, on families, on relations between States and Continents, on ecclesial life, but also on the future.
We have no practical solutions in this regard, as these are the remit of policy makers, but it is part of our pastoral duty to call to personal and collective conscience certain attitudes of a spiritual and ethical nature. In fact, the building of modern civilisation must stand on spiritual principles, capable not only of supporting it, but also of enlightening it and bringing it to life.
First and foremost, a rediscovered trust. Without this way of being it is not possible to look to tomorrow…”
