Meeting of the Friends of

Together for Europe 2017

Vienna, 9-11 November 2017,

From 9 to 11 November 2017, the ‘Friends’ of Together for Europegathered for their annual meeting in the Austrian capital, an ideal bridge between East and West. . The programme was characterised by speeches and intense exchanges of ideas, a panel discussion with representatives from various Central and Eastern European Countries, and moments of prayer. Heinrich Walter (Schönstatt) presented the eighteen-year history of the network.

The question of howto move forward made the participants take up an attitude of an intense listening to the Holy Spirit. From the many reflections in the plenary and group meetings, a number of proposals emerged: to intensify meetings and mutual visits between the various Movements and Countries, in order to strengthen the spirit of Togetherness; highlighting the date of 9 May – already considered as Europe Day in many Countries – as an annual commitment to spread the message of Togetherness; with the most varied initiatives at the local level. In conclusion, the renewal of the ‘pact’ – a solemn promise of mutual love (cf. John 13:34) – sealed the common commitment before God, giving courage and confidence for the near future.

The programme included an ‘Ecumenical Prayer for Europe’ in the Stephansdom, Vienna’s cathedral. On the evening of 9 November, in the presence of Card. Christoph Schönborn and some personalities from the ecumenical world, hundreds of people joined the participants in the meeting. The Cardinal emphasised in his speech that “today we are not expected to dominate, but to serve.”