Archbishop Fisichella: For the West, All Religions Can Not be the Same

Archbishop Rino Fisichella, President of the Pontifical Council for The New Evangelization has called the European Bishops to a profound renewal of Faith.

Tirana (kath.net/KNA) Archbishop Rino Fisichella, President of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization, has called the European Bishops to a profound renewal of Faith. One such mission must not be limited simply to the resurrection of a religious praxis; it is necessary to have an "analysis of the sickness, in order to prescribe an effective therapy," said Fisichella at a yearly meeting of the Council of the European Bishops Conference (CCEE) on Friday in Albanian Tirana.

The Curial Bishop warned against tendencies to erect a Europe independent of Christianity. "Christendom is a necessary starting point, in order to finally understand the history of the past of our lands", said Fisichella. A neutral position to religion is "the worst method that one can imagine. For the West, religions can't be all the same."

Fisichella also warned of the "shifting sands of egalitarianism" which discount the differences between faiths and for the recognition of ones own cultural origins. Religious indifferentism does not provide and answer to the meaning of life and will not establish true unity between states. It is important to give people back their Christian identity and a feeling of their membership in the Church.

The model for the New Evangelization was described by Vatican representatives in projects for city missions in twelve European metropolises, among others, Vienna and Cologne. As possible focal points for the Mission, Fisichella named the Bible, instruction by Bishops to Catechumens, families and young people, as well as the Sacrament of Penance, lectures on the "Confessions" of St. Augustine and charitable services.

The meeting on the New Evangelization ordered by Pope Benedict XVI. is the midst of its meeting which goes till Sunday for leaders of Catholic National Bishops Conferences or their representatives. The meeting which lasted from Thursday to Sunday in Tirana is according to the CCEE, the only opportunity for European Senior Shepherds to work together on the theme before the Vatican Bishop's Synod in 2012.

Link to kath.net...

Related article from Lifesite, describing his assignment to the Office for Evangelization under some controversy.