Cardinal Marx: Pope’s Strasbourg speech was a ‘jolt to the Church’
December 12, 2014
In a front-page L’Osservatore Romano article, Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich described Pope Francis’s recent speech to the European Parliament as a “message of hope and encouragement for all Europeans and also a jolt to the Church” because it was a call to favorable engagement with the “European project.”
The prelate, who serves as president of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community, president of German Bishops' Conference, and coordinator of Vatican’s Council for the Economy, said that many commentators thought that the Argentine Pope would be less knowledgeable about Europe than his predecessors. The Pope, however, showed a “greater perception” of Europe’s “political realities” than expected.
Citing several themes in the Pope’s talk, Cardinal Marx said that his “criticism” of European society was “important,” as was his invitation to Europe to “be a contribution to a better world.”
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Further information:
- Scossa di speranza (L’Osservatore Romano)
- Pope Francis: Europe seems 'elderly and haggard' (CWN, 11/25)
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Posted by: bernie4871 -
Dec. 12, 2014 9:45 PM ET USA
Francis' comments, though briefly reported, seemed significant. But did he strike at the heart of the matter or just regret that Europe has fallen into senility? Europe needs to sustain itself with children or it has no future. Europe could still have a future as a major font of our religion and culture if only it looks into itself and grows even again from its roots. Otherwise it is a gasping corpse.
