POLAND AS THE GUARD OF EUROPE
Lidia Dudkiewicz, The Editor-in-Chief of ‘Niedziela’
We are thinking more and more on how to reverse the suicidal rush of Europe. The diagnosis of the state of the Old Continent was carried out at the First International Congress of the ‘Europa Christi’ movement which was held under the motto: ‘Open the door to Christ!’. This calling of John Paul II is very current today. cardinal Robert Sarah, a prefect of the Vatican Congregation for Divine Cult and Sacraments Discipline, who was the guest of the congress, admitted that Europe had been experiencing an unprecedentend civilisational crisis for two centuries. Fryderyk Nietsche presented this situation in a symbolical way, saying: ‘God died! We killed Him’. – Since then Europe has been in a continuous crisis caused, among the others, by two atheistic ideologies, and not it is plunging into nihilism – said cardinal Sarah.
So, we should ask the question after John Paul II: ‘Europe, what have you done with your baptism?’. And also we should tell haughty officers from stiff insensitive European institutions that God is alive. It is time we definitely faced up the problem strongly formulated by cardinal Sarah: ‘God or nothing’. It seems that Poland can play an important role in history towards dying Europe, which is in idolatry of money and is cutting itself from basic values. During the congress of the ‘Europa Christi’ movement we heard from the Vatican cardinal that Poland should be the ‘guard of Europe’ and warn others against dangers which result from quiet apostasy of the Old Continent. – Poland which had so many saints in the 20th century, among the others, Faustyna, Maksymilian Kolbe, Jerzy Popiełuszko and John Paul II, must promote humanism based on Christianity in Europe today – noted cardinal Sarah.
There is no doubt that the power of Europe are its saint patrons: St. Benedict from Nursia, St. Cyryl and Meytody, St. Katarzyna from Siena, St. Brygida Szwedzka and St. s. Teresa Benedycta of Cross (Edyta Stein). During the congress a postulate was submitted about including St. John Paul II into the patrons of Europe. Arguments for it were presented by cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz. He reminded that St. John Paul II was a supporter of Europe of homelands, not Europe as a federal country. – Considering Europe of homelands, a road of quality development is chosen, whereas considering European federation – a road of procedural development is chosen – explained cardinal Dziwisz. – Procedural attitude to the reality creates not only a policy of keeping silent, but also political correctness, bureaucracy of life and crisis of values. John Paul II warned that ‘democracy without values will change into an open or hidden totalitarianism sooner or later. He always emphasized that European community should be a community of spirit, in which everyone is helping one another and human rights, both in personal and national dimensions, are followed. Cardinal Dziwisz emphasized that at present Europe ‘needs supernatural help and example of the saints. It is difficult to notice a more current saint, understanding our times, than John Paul II’ – he noted. And one of the fruits of the congress of the ‘Europa Christi’ movement is the postulate that St. John Paul II should be proclaimed the patron of Europe.
(AA)
„Niedziela” 44/2017