President of the German Bishops’ Conference, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, has said that “nationalism is one of the biggest causes of war” and that “the Church must never cease working or doing something for the unity of Europe.”
Following his recent trip to Poland, the Archbishop of Munich and Freising, told the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle on 1 September that “the Church has always viewed the unity of Europe positively, even today”.
Cardinal Marx, visited Gdansk in Poland to commemorate the anniversary of the Solidarity movement, which was birthed in September 1980. The movement played an important role in establishing a democratic Polish state.
With Brexit looming Marx told the paper he believes that European “interconnectedness necessitates that we stand up for each other so that something positive can be the outcome.” He believes that we should be “making progress towards a social Europe”.
When asked about the challenges Europe faces due to migration and the tension caused by it Cardinal Marx said it is essential that the EU’s member states “develop common guidelines for a refugee and migration policy.”
Marx was asked about Poland’s move towards becoming a non-liberal democracy and, in an answer that could be perceived as critical of Poland’s current administration, Marx points out that “a political majority does not reflect the whole population.” Rather, the population “includes everyone, including minorities” he said, warning that “an incumbent party cannot say: We are ‘the people’ to justify turning things upside down and no longer taking other positions and minorities into account.”
Marx said the Church “should stand up for a society of responsible freedom.” He argued people “should be free to choose a political party, for – or against – a religion” adding that he “would like to live in a society in which freedom of opinion, conscience, and religion prevail – even a society where people do not agree with me or my religious convictions.”
Marx added, “It is always necessary to stand up for individual liberties, for minorities, for respect and for the fundaments of democracy – for what it takes for a free and open society to function with stability. It is a kind of symbiosis that requires constant work. And if you turn away for just a second, you’ll soon find out. The dangers [of neglect] become apparent very quickly.”
The full text of the interview can be found here.
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