"The motto of the European Union is United in Diversity. Unity, however, does
not mean uniformity of political, economic and cultural life, or ways of
thinking. ... I consider Europe as a family of peoples who will sense the
closeness of the institutions of the Union when these latter are able wisely
to combine the desired ideal of unity with the diversity proper to each
people, cherishing particular traditions, acknowledging its past history and
its roots, liberated from so many manipulations and phobias. ... At the same
time, the specific features of each one represent an authentic richness to the
degree that they are placed at the service of all. ... Ladies and Gentlemen,
Members of the European Parliament, within this dynamic of unity and
particularity, yours is the responsibility of keeping democracy alive for the
peoples of Europe. It is no secret that a conception of unity seen as
uniformity strikes at the vitality of the democratic system, weakening the
rich, fruitful and constructive interplay of organisations and political
parties. ... Keeping democracy alive in Europe requires avoiding the many
globalising tendencies to dilute reality: namely, angelic forms of purity,
dictatorships of relativism, brands of ahistorical fundamentalism, ethical
systems lacking kindness, and intellectual discourse bereft of wisdom".
 Keeping democracies alive "is a challenge in the present historic moment. The
true strength of our democracies - understood as expressions of the political
will of the people - must not be allowed to collapse under the pressure of
multinational interests which are not universal, which weaken them and turn
them into uniform systems of economic power at the service of unseen empires.
This is one of the challenges which history sets before you today. To give
Europe hope means more than simply acknowledging the centrality of the human
person; it also implies nurturing the gifts of each man and woman. It means
investing in individuals and in those settings in which their talents are
shaped and flourish. The first area surely is that of education, beginning
with the family, the fundamental cell and most precious element of any
society. ... Then too, stressing the importance of the family not only helps
to give direction and hope to new generations, but also to many of our
elderly, who are often forced to live alone and are effectively abandoned
because there is no longer the warmth of a family hearth able to accompany and
support them. Alongside the family, there are the various educational
institutes: schools and universities. ... Young people today are asking for a
suitable and complete education which can enable them to look to the future
with hope instead of disenchantment".
 The Pontiff went on to speak about the defence of the environment, remarking
that "Europe has always been in the vanguard of efforts to promote ecology.
Our earth needs constant concern and attention. Each of us has a personal
responsibility to care for creation, this precious gift which God has
entrusted to us. This means, on the one hand, that nature is at our disposal,
to enjoy and use properly. Yet it also means that we are not its masters.
Stewards, but not masters. ... Respect for the environment, however, means
more than not destroying it; it also means using it for good purposes. I am
thinking above all of the agricultural sector, which provides sustenance and
nourishment to our human family. It is intolerable that millions of people
around the world are dying of hunger while tons of food are discarded each day
from our tables. Respect for nature also means recognising that man himself is
a fundamental part of it. Along with an environmental ecology, there is also
need of that human ecology which consists in respect for the person, which I
have wanted to emphasise in addressing you today".
 The second area in which talent flourishes is work. "The time has come to
promote policies which create employment, but above all there is a need to
restore dignity to labour by ensuring proper working conditions. This implies,
on the one hand, finding new ways of joining market flexibility with the need
for stability and security on the part of workers; these are indispensable for
their human development. It also implies favouring a suitable social context
geared not to the exploitation of persons, but to ensuring, precisely through
labour, their ability to create a family and educate their children".
 With regard to the need fro a united response to question of migration,
Francis exclaimed, "We cannot allow the Mediterranean to become a vast
cemetery! ... The absence of mutual support within the European Union runs the
risk of encouraging particularistic solutions to the problem, solutions which
fail to take into account the human dignity of immigrants, and thus contribute
to slave labour and continuing social tensions. Europe will be able to
confront the problems associated with immigration only if it is capable of
clearly asserting its own cultural identity and enacting adequate legislation
to protect the rights of European citizens and to ensure the acceptance of
immigrants. Only if it is capable of adopting fair, courageous and realistic
policies which can assist the countries of origin in their own social and
political development and in their efforts to resolve internal conflicts - the
principal cause of this phenomenon - rather than adopting policies motivated
by self-interest, which increase and feed such conflicts.
 "Awareness of one's own identity is also necessary for entering into a
positive dialogue with the States which have asked to become part of the Union
in the future. I am thinking especially of those in the Balkans, for which
membership in the European Union could be a response to the desire for peace
in a region which has suffered greatly from past conflicts. Awareness of one's
own identity is also indispensable for relations with other neighbouring
countries, particularly with those bordering the Mediterranean, many of which
suffer from internal conflicts, the pressure of religious fundamentalism and
the reality of global terrorism.
 "It is incumbent upon you, as legislators, to protect and nurture Europe's
identity, so that its citizens can experience renewed confidence in the
institutions of the Union and in its underlying project of peace and
friendship. ... I encourage you to work to make Europe rediscover the best of
itself. An anonymous second-century author wrote that 'Christians are to the
world what the soul is to the body'. The function of the soul is to support
the body, to be its conscience and its historical memory. A two-
housand-year-old history links Europe and Christianity. It is a history not
free of conflicts and errors, but one constantly driven by the desire to work
for the good of all. We see this in the beauty of our cities, and even more in
the beauty of the many works of charity and constructive cooperation
throughout this continent. This history, in large part, must still be written.
It is our present and our future. It is our identity. Europe urgently needs to
recover its true features in order to grow, as its founders intended, in peace
and harmony, since it is not yet free of conflicts".
 "Dear Members of the European Parliament", he concluded, "the time has come
to work together in building a Europe which revolves not around the economy,
but around the sacredness of the human person, around inalienable values. In
building a Europe which courageously embraces its past and confidently looks
to its future in order fully to experience the hope of its present. The time
has come for us to abandon the idea of a Europe which is fearful and
self-absorbed, in order to revive and encourage a Europe of leadership, a
repository of science, art, music, human values, and faith too. A Europe which
contemplates the heavens and pursues lofty ideals. A Europe which cares for,
defends and protects man, every man and woman. A Europe which bestrides the
earth surely and securely, a precious point of reference for all humanity".

___________________________________________________________

 Francis at the Council of Europe: imposed peace is not enough - it must be
loved, free and fraternal
 Vatican City, 25 November 2014 (VIS) - At midday the Holy Father proceeded by
car to the seat of the Council of Europe, where he met the authorities,
including the secretary general Thorbjørn Jagland, who accompanied him to the
lobby of the Committee of Ministers. This was followed by an exchange of
gifts, after which they entered the Great Hall where, following greetings and
the opening discourse by the secretary general, the Pontiff addressed those
present, thanking them for their invitation and for their "work and
contribution to peace in Europe through the promotion of democracy, human
rights and the rule of law".
 He continued, "This year the Council of Europe celebrates its sixty-fifth
anniversary. It was the intention of its founders that the Council would
respond to a yearning for unity which, from antiquity, has characterised the
life of the continent. Frequently, however, in the course of the centuries,
the pretension to power has led to the dominance of particularist movements.
... The dream of the founders was to rebuild Europe in a spirit of mutual
service which today too, in a world more prone to make demands than to serve,
must be the cornerstone of the Council of Europe's mission on behalf of peace,
freedom and human dignity".
 On the other hand, the road to peace, and avoiding a repetition of what
occurred in the two World Wars of the last century, "is to see others not as
enemies to be opposed but as brothers and sisters to be embraced. This entails
an ongoing process which may never be considered fully completed. This is
precisely what the founders grasped. They understood that peace was a good
which must continually be attained, one which calls for constant vigilance.
... Consequently, the founders voiced their desire to advance slowly but
surely with the passage of time. That is why the founders established this
body as a permanent institution. Pope Paul VI, several years later, observed
that 'the institutions which in the juridical order and in international
society have the task and merit of proclaiming and preserving peace, will
attain their lofty goal only if they remain continually active, if they are
capable of creating peace, making peace, at every moment'. What is called for
is a constant work of humanisation, for 'it is not enough to contain wars, to
suspend conflicts ... An imposed peace, a utilitarian and provisional peace,
is not enough. Progress must be made towards a peace which is loved, free and
fraternal, founded, that is, on a reconciliation of hearts'".
 Achieving the good of peace first calls for education in peace, "banishing a
culture of conflict aimed at fear of others, marginalising those who think or
live differently ... Tragically, peace continues all too often to be violated.
This is the case in so many parts of the world where conflicts of various
sorts continue to rage. It is also the case here in Europe, where tensions
persist", he said. "Yet peace is also put to the test by other forms of
conflict, such as religious and international terrorism, which displays deep
disdain for human life and indiscriminately reaps innocent victims. This
phenomenon is unfortunately bankrolled by a frequently unchecked traffic in
weapons. The Church is convinced that 'the arms race is one of the greatest
curses on the human race and the harm it inflicts on the poor is more than can
be endured'. Peace is also violated by trafficking in human beings, the new
slavery of our age, which turns persons into merchandise for trade and
deprives its victims of all dignity. Not infrequently we see how
interconnected these phenomena are. The Council of Europe, through its
Committees and Expert Groups, has an important and significant role to play in
combating these forms of inhumanity. ... Peace is not merely the absence of
war, conflicts and tensions. In the Christian vision, peace is at once a gift
of God and the fruit of free and reasonable human acts aimed at pursuing the
common good in truth and love".
 "The path chosen by the Council of Europe is above all that of promoting
human rights, together with the growth of democracy and the rule of law. This
is a particularly valuable undertaking, with significant ethical and social
implications, since the development of our societies and their peaceful future
coexistence depends on a correct understanding of these terms and constant
reflection on them. ... In your presence today, then, I feel obliged to stress
the importance of Europe's continuing responsibility to contribute to the
cultural development of humanity.

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