Salesian Superior General denounces “anti-catholic secularism” of Europe

Rome, Italy, Dec 2, 2004 / 22:00 pm

During an historic gathering of Salesian superiors in Europe taking place until Sunday, December 5, the Salesian Superior General, Father Pascual Chavez, said the mission of the children of Don Bosco today should be that of transmitting the faith, the Gospel and the congregation’s charism to Europe.

Father Chavez said that after the wounds Europe suffered during World War II, the “fathers of the new Europe,” Robert Schuman, Alcide De Gasperi and Konrad Adenauer, wanted to turn over a new leaf and build a different Europe:  “reconciled, united, free, democratic, and in solidarity, with respect for the autonomy of its nations.”

Nevertheless, Father Chavez pointed to the current negative aspects of Europe, such as the lack of a clear definition of what Europe is, moral relativism, the recognition of non-married couples, among other things.

”The greatest worry concerns the convictions that are behind the current anti-catholic secularism, that is, that humanism and Christianity are two exclusive realities, and even more, that there is a substantial incompatibility between Catholic Christianity and the principles with which Europe identifies itself,” he warned.

According to Father Chavez, this vision has brought consequences for Europe, such as “the irrelevance of the Church, the breakdown of the family, the rupture in the passion on of the faith and values, the rejection of everything that is Catholic.”

He concluded encouraging Salesians to overcome pessimism and “to assume an Evangelical attitude of hope in order to continue with the work of evangelization and education: The Faith, the Gospel, the Salesian charism are the patrimony which we should vitally pass on because they are gifts from God to the Church and to young people.”