Europe: war or peace?

 The title of the online meeting promoted by Retinopera for 4 April is intriguing. Speakers will include Mario Giro, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marco Tarquinio, Member of the European Parliament, and Lucia Capuzzi, journalist for Avvenire. Obviously, these are three influential figures who are committed to a peaceful Europe. But it is precisely from them, who breathe the air of war every day in our countries and in Europe, that we want first-hand information on why, for months now, there has been a sense of preparation for war, even though it is said that we are arming ourselves to avoid it.

ReArm Europe is a provocative term: why was it chosen? Words also have their weight. This is not the start of a common defence project. It seems like a big mess. Many people, including us, are calling for a non-aggressive common defence: this is what Europe really needs. There is no doubt that the goal is a European army. The very name of the plan is dangerous: why did Ursula von der Leyen decide to choose it? We expect Mario, Marco and Lucia to give us the tools to understand more about how to avoid hell. This is not a meeting of beautiful souls, but an opportunity to explore how to implement a common policy based on dialogue and responsibility, as St. Benedict, patron saint of Europe, teaches us.

Enough investing in fear: let's invest in cooperation, joint innovation and relational intelligence. Our responsibilities, I say this with regard to the 25 organisations that make up Retinopera, with a total of eight million members, but I am also thinking of various other networks, of those who launched Plan B, are to move forward in a structured way without waiting for the positions of parties and representatives. We must reach out more to people, to every single person. That fifty per cent who no longer vote. We must create more systems, more culture at the service of peace and the common good. There are warnings from many quarters, especially from the Catholic world, to talk and listen to each other more. Let's do it. New ideas and proposals could arise from dialogue and cooperation. Let us share them. Let us ask the media, not only those in our world, with strength and determination, to give us a small space to talk about concrete actions of hope and peace. As Pope Francis teaches us.


Gianfranco Cattai
NP April 2025