“We felt changed, strengthened. This meeting is the sign of a great hope. In these times, when the message we get from Europe is consumerism, fashion and material values, I now see we can hear about spiritual values, too.” This fax message arrived from Vilnius, in Lithuania. With 9 other countries, it celebrated its entry into the European Union on May 1st, not without some trepidation on the part of many. Vilnius is one of the 163 European cities linked up via satellite to the Palasport of Stuttgart last May 8, which hosted close to 10,000 people from all over the continent who came to attend the gathering entitled “Together for Europe”. Numerous comments defined the meeting as “historic” also because it was the first meeting, on a European scale, of more than 150 Catholic, Evangelical, Orthodox and Anglican movements.

A soul for Europe
“We are here to give Europe a soul that could generate a strong spiritual unity” – said Chiara Lubich, foundress of the Focolare Movement, in her opening remarks – “like many networks of fraternal relationships which bring nations together, like an experiment to prepare the full unity of Europe” in the wealth of its diversities. These words pronounced at Stuttgart became an experience of life. “The impression one gets from Stuttgart is the kind that lasts,” President of the European Commission Romano Prodi affirmed in an interview with Città Nuova. “Today Europe revealed itself capable of closing a chapter in history with no more sufferings nor divisions.” The experience was just as intense in those gatherings which were linked up to Stuttgart, as revealed by numerous fax and e-mail. This is what they wrote from Trent: “We couldn’t tell if we were on or off the screen.”

A milestone
“We need a Europe of the heart, hearts that are full not of the Euro, but of values, of God,”
stated Cardinal Kasper when he spoke onstage. “We need the spiritual dimension of Europe, the spiritual movements which can render such a Europe tangible. We need communities that overcome the boundaries of peoples and nations: today’s meeting is a milestone in this journey.” Among the leading personalities present at the Geneva link-up in the headquarters of the World Council of Churches, was Marie-Francois Charrin, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, who affirmed: “This united Europe with a soul, a heart and two lungs, will heal the major wounds of countries in conflict.”

A united Europe was born out of the ruins of World War II
The process of reconciliation and the dream of a united Europe was born right from the ruins of a conflict: World War II. This fact was recalled by Evangelical Pastor Aschoff of the German Charismatic Renewal Movement, as well as by Andrea Riccardi, founder of the St. Egidio Community. The President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi brought to light the vision of Schuman, De Gasperi and Adenauer and the initial steps marked by the Coal and Steel Agreement of 1951, then the adoption of the Euro and the Constitution in the making. He recalled that the great Fathers of Europe had built it, drawing from their faith. He added that today, too, Christians are called “to contribute through their creativity… so that Europe may develop, not like a fortress but as a political subject with a soul, which makes of peace and justice its identity and its vocation…You are an essential component of this soul,” he added.

Europe viewed in the light of the different charisms
The theme that ran through the meeting was: Europe, illuminated by the charisms brought to life by the Spirit through the centuries. Aschoff recalled that it is not by chance that a large number of new spiritual movements and communities were born right “in the difficult days of the war”. “Behind these faces, there is a heart regenerated by the Gospel,” said Riccardi. In the face of a “listless Europe” the movements supply “gusto for the future.”


It is a Europe “in need of new bonds among human beings,” affirmed Ulrich Parzany, a Lutheran Evangelical pastor, secretary-general of the YMCA in Germany and promoter of a broad evangelization initiative called “Pro Christ”. He also observed that “democracy itself is founded on presuppositions that it is incapable of creating.”
And the keyword launched in Stuttgart was “universal brotherhood”. Speaking about it, Chiara Lubich said that it is the most widely felt aspiration, a brotherhood made possible by Jesus, who “has torn down the walls separating those who are the same from those who are different, friends from enemies, thereby setting in motion an existential, cultural and political revolution.”

The witness offered by the movements and new communities
A series of life experiences showed the seeds of spiritual and social renewal sown by the different charisms of Movements and new communities. The Orthodox Youth Movement (ONL) presented its “determinant contribution” to the survival of the Orthodox Church in Finland. A youth member of the FCJG evangelical community of Ludenscheid shared his experience of passing from the “abysmal darkness of the soul” which he had fallen into because of drugs, to his liberating encounter with Christ. Nicky Gumbel, Anglican who started the Alpha Courses spoke of the transformation operated by the Gospel in 124 prisons of the United Kingdom. Members of movements for the family, like the Family Life Mission of the Evangelical Church, and the Equipe Notre Dame of the Catholic Church spoke of the Christian renewal of families.

The youth’s vision and commitment for Europe
The voice of the youth resounded loudly as they expressed through their experiences, songs and choreography their wish and their commitment to see a Europe capable of forgiving, of overcoming barriers and of aiming at a united world.

A pact of brotherhood
This was the commitment taken in the final declaration:
“Intensify universal brotherhood more and more; it is evangelical love put into life” in “the sharing of goods and resources,” “in openness to other cultures and religious traditions,” “in loving solidarity with the weak and the poor of our cities,” “in a profound sense of family and values of life.” It was the culminating point. The stage was filled with the representatives of movements and communities who had worked for over a year to prepare this historic moment. Their adherence was unanimous – and not only at Stuttgart. From Warsaw, Poland they wrote: “It was deeply moving, all of us on our feet just as in Stuttgart, at the moment of the final declaration. Today, we saw and touched the soul of Europe.” Then ecclesial dignitaries representing a wide array of Churches went up onstage to read the key passages of Jesus’ priestly prayer, “May they all be one.” Queen Fabiola of Belgium was also invited onstage to conclude with the “Our Father”.

A united Europe for a united world
The message of Stuttgart also reached other continents, where 35 cities were linked up. From Buenos Aires they wrote: “We were gathered in thousands, and standing, we too joined our hands in prayer to seal this pact.” We heard from Man (Ivory Coast) that they too rejoiced for a Europe that is open to all peoples of the world, especially Africa. The strong impulse that would have come from Stuttgart was further emphasized by the message of the Pope: “A common home for Europe cannot be built without concern for the good of all humanity, especially of Africa which is plagued by so many and such serious problems.” From Singapore: “Distances were erased. After Europe, let us aim at the unity of the whole world.” That was the vision proposed by Riccardi and Chiara Lubich: “a united Europe for a united world”.


The Pope, too, had underscored this perspective in his message: “The Christians of numerous spiritual movements gathered at Stuttgart show that the Gospel has made them overcome self-centered nationalism in order to look at Europe as a family of peoples, rich in cultural variety and history. Europe of tomorrow needs this awareness for it to take part in the great events to which it is called by history.”

A first step
A wave of hope has ripped out from Stuttgart, “like the concentric circles of water that continue out to regions unknown,” as they wrote from Vilnius. But, as numerous comments say, this is just the first step.

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