From 11 to 13 April 2024, the European Steering Committee of Together for Europe (TfE) met for its annual retreat in Vallendar, the Schönstatt Centre. 21 members from seven Movements represented on the Steering Committee took part. Among them were: Father Alexandre Awi Mello, Superior General of the Schönstatt Fathers and President of the General Presidium of the International Schönstatt Institution, and Jesús Moran, Co-President of the Focolare Movement, who also attended on behalf of the President, Margaret Karram. The purpose of the retreat was to facilitate and prepare the generational change, as well as to focus on TfE ‘s vision and formulate concrete tasks for the coming years.
Identity
TfE is an ecumenical network with a Steering Committee that is at the service of the various Movements and Communities. The interaction of charisms requires constant listening to the voice of God: “The score is written in heaven” (Chiara Lubich). The nature and mission of TfE are revealed above all through direct participation in the network’s meetings, prayer initiatives, conferences and other local and international initiatives.
A Culture of leadership
Under the expert guidance of the specially appointed external moderator Dr Markus Ressl, and continuously listening to the Holy Spirit, the participants worked out the necessary steps for the near future. Moderator Gerhard Pross (YMCA Esslingen) and General Secretary Diego Goller (Focolare Movement) were given full confidence to continue their service over the next two years. The executive team of the Steering Committee, which previously consisted of four people from different communities, was expanded to include two younger people.
Visibility
To facilitate the work of this team, working and project groups were formed to – among other things – intensify contacts with Eastern Europe, Orthodoxy, Church leaders, politicians and national TfE Teams. In terms of communication, a greater ‘visibility’ in the European public opinion arena is desired.
The voices and suggestions of younger participants are increasingly proving to be an important contribution to a forward-looking collaboration. According to one young participant from the YMCA in Munich, it is above all a ‘personal approach’. “You have to participate in person to understand what it is all about”. In the near future, a group will study the possibility of organising a large event for all Movements.
Impressions
The meeting was characterised by a strong spiritual atmosphere. Fr. Alexandre Awi Mello (Schönstatt) stated: “It touches me deeply to see how God is working in this network. Here we are writing ‘holy history in a holy place’ “. And Jesùs Moran (Focolare Movement):“Charisms are gifts from God to the Churches. TfE allows Europe to see the unity of charisms. There is great potential in this. We must therefore never lose sight of today’s humanity, because we can always give hope to the world thanks to this charismatic force“.
Perspectives
The annual meeting of the Friends of TfE will take place from 31 October to 2 November 2024 in Graz/Seggau under the title ‘Called to Hope’, in close cooperation with the Austrian National Team and with the active participation of the younger generation.
A few months ago a veteran of Together for Europe asked me if our network has any influence on the life of the Continent. The courage and clarity of the question surprised me, but behind the words I sensed the real question: “Does my – our – work have a purpose?
After its beginnings, in the message of the first manifestation in Stuttgart in 2004, Together for Europe placed itself in today’s world, in history, declaring its identity for fraternity. A few years later, in 2007 – also in Stuttgart – the so-called 7 YESES were formulated, outlining the concrete programme of action. In one of these YESES it says: “Let us say YES to creation, by defending nature and the environment, gifts of God to be safeguarded with commitment that respects future generations.” The years went by andthe ecumenical network, mainly through the efforts of the various national committees, grew stronger on the Continent. Its structure was outlined with annual international meetings, with local events and, in recent years, from the westernmost part of Europe (Porto/Portugal) we reached the gateway to the East (Timisoara/Romania).
Together for Europe will be 25 years old this year. The question is very fair: while we thank God and mankind for the history of all these years, now, how do we move forward? Do we have and will we have influence on the life of the Continent? Does our work make sense and will it in the future?
The European Union came to our aid by inviting us to participate in a European call for proposals that “promotes citizens’ participation and involvement in the democratic life of the EU” in three fields in particular: the world of communication, the socio-political sphere and ecology. The online meeting on 2 March developed the latter. The 187 bookings and 110 listening places have enthused us and the answers to the questionnaires will help us to develop a KIT with concrete suggestions to the administration. Of course, the preparatory work for this meeting also required commitment, but the joy of seeing high-level experts in different fields, representing various Churches and countries, the encouraging testimonies, confirmed to us: a door to the future is opening here!
What kind of future? Generate as much as possible, with the cohesive force of fraternity, relationship spaces in all the fields of the 7 YESes. This is the ecology of relationships which goes beyond the protection of creation. In this endeavour, it may happen that beyond our common humanity, we discover many realities that bind us and can enhance our unity. On 2 March – in the ecological field – the Italian professor, the Greek theologian, the COMECE representative, the Swiss professor and the Irish doctor, the German expert and the EU official confirmed this, and the testimonies illustrated it. At the end, one participant asked: “How do such positive effects arise?” The answer was: through relationships.
Today, I would perhaps answer that veteran’s question with more conviction.
The challenges for the protection of creation and an integral ecology are growing exponentially worldwide. On 2nd March 2024, the Together for Europe network has dedicated an entire day online to this topic. Professionals and activists from various Churches and Movements, from 9 European countries, spoke at the Seminar entitled: ‘Called to Unity – Towards an Ecology of Relationships’. An enthralling ‘journey’, in which the speakers in an atmosphere of increasing convergence presented their research and commitment to environmental protection, and then entered into dialogue with the many persons present in the ‘virtual hall’. Experiences already in place in many places and encouraging good practices, easily imitated, have highlighted the desire and commitment to respect and preserve creation for future generations. This unites us as Christians and easily connects us with others.
For our network it was time to deepen one of the ‘7 YESes’ with which we committed ourselves in 2007 at the big Stuttgart Manifestation. It states: “Let us say Yes to creation, by defending nature and the environment, gifts of God to be safeguarded with commitment that respects future generations.”
The inputs of this rich meeting were very interesting and informative. As an example, we quote two sentences from the contribution of Dr Stefania Papa[1]she emphasised “the network of complex and interdependent relationships between every living being and every element of nature, which, together, sustain life itself. These relationships are not unidirectional, but characterised by mutual exchanges of energy, matter and information”. While this creates harmony, there is also conflict, disruption. And it is precisely “this diversity of relationships, including both conflict and cooperation, that is fundamental to the functioning of ecosystems and to the continuous evolution of life on Earth, which is continually subject to new challenges”.
We are grateful to the speakers who allowed us to make their contributions available. You can download them at the bottom of this page.
During the Workshop, which was part of an EU-supported project, DialogUE, the European Grean Deal document was presented; this is an ambitious project in which the EU has developed some of the strictest environmental standards in the world. The contents of the Webinar and the answers of the participants to the questionnaires concerning this event will help to elaborate a KIT with concrete suggestions to the European Union. It will be delivered on 16th October 2024 to the European Institutions in Brussels, together with the results of the previous workshops on communication and social policies, held in 2023 and co-funded like the latter by the European Union.
The Team of the Secretariat of Together for Europe
[1] Associate Professor of Ecology, Dept. of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’, Italy
Timişoara (Romania) is with two other cities the 2023 ‘European Capital of Culture’. Roman Catholic Bishop Pál József Csaba of Timişoara invited the annual meeting of the Friends of Together for Europe (TfE) to his city (16-18/11/2023).
Some friends of TfE express here why they will attend the meeting.
Cezara Delia Perian, from the Orthodox youth group in Timisoara:
I am in favour of a Christian Europe with Christian principles. I would like to hear about the experiences in the context of TfE. And as a citizen of Timisoara, I want to present my city, which, for centuries has been an example of peaceful coexistence between different minorities, Churches, Movements and ecclesial cultures. Therefore, I kindly invite you to the Friends of TfE 2023 meeting in Timisoara, with the promise of an extraordinary meeting and a unique experience.
Soňa Jančíková, TfE Steering Committee, European Network of Communities ENC, Slovak Republic:
Since unity is written very deep in my heart, I decided to join TfE. I would like to meet new people and get to know what is in their hearts. In the ENC we have communities from Romania and I love this country. It is very important that this meeting takes place in the East of Europe and we are looking forward to seeing how great the potential of this country is, so that the rest of Europe will be based more on Christian values.
Philipp Barthel, TfE Steering Committee, YMCA Munich, Germany:
Why do I go to the TfE meeting in Timisoara? Because I want to personally experience the faith of Christians of different Churches, nationalities and ages.
Reydibel Mesa, Focolare Movement, Hungary:
I think this meeting will be a moment of brotherhood and peace in Europe. It will be days where we can experience the strength of the unity of peoples united in God: young people, adults, from different countries and different Christian Churches, but all Together.
Gérard Testard, Efesia, France:
We are walking on the road opened up by the founders of Europe and all those, who, throughout history, did not accept conflict as a fatality, but committed themselves to breaking down barriers.
Mgr Pál József Csaba, Bishop in Timisoara:
By your presence you show Romania the beauty of the Christian faith.
Cinzia Panero, Focolare Movement, Serbia:
For me TfE is a network of life, of shared experiences, of intentions
dreamed and achieved with others in a common concrete work. We experienced it last March in Belgrade: the Institute for the Study of Culture and of Christianity and the Focolare Movement in Serbia, we realised the Exhibition-art competition “The world in an image, image of the world” between Serbian artists of various religious faiths and nationalities, with the support of the Ministry for Cooperation between religious communities. The meeting in Timisoara will be an opportunity to strengthen our friendship, open up to new experiences, build relationships in a real network, tangible, fraternal network.
TOGETHER2023 – TO SUPPORT THE SYNOD OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
We give space – in summary form – to a communication received from the leaders of the Ecumenical Community of Taizé, promoter of the Vigil.
Dear friends,
With our team we have returned to Rome for the final preparations of Together. What a joy and beautiful challenge to walk on the same path with so many of you and also with the Secretariat for the Synod and the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity.
The songs for the prayer vigil are published at https://together2023.net/info-page/songs/ as well as the new Adsumus Sancte Spiritus song prepared especially for the ecumenical prayer vigil of September 30.
