Europe on the road to peace

Thirty years ago the European Union was born. «As European Christians we have a great responsibility in the cause of today's crisis. For this reason we ask God to forgive our sin and to give us the strength to convert to become instruments of his peace. War as a means of resolving conflicts must be overcome. We will do everything we can, each in our own country, to make the vision of common security come true. We are committed today to creating a climate of trust on both sides of borders, in which the willingness for both nuclear, chemical and conventional disarmament can grow. The testimony of non-violence is inextricably linked to the path of reconciliation. All this is an urgent task of today and is, for those who believe, also a response to God's appeal to build a tomorrow that will not disappoint." The words of Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, pronounced in his famous speech on Europe, appear more relevant than ever in light of the dramatic moment that the world is experiencing. Today, thirty years after the entry into force of the European Union (1 November 1993), we recognize the importance of its creation as a path, with all its lights and shadows, towards a common future of peace.

Last May, Maria Martini, sister of the cardinal archbishop of Milan who passed away in 2012, wanted to give to the Arsenale of Peace a prayer he composed, dedicated precisely to Europe, his hope for a Europe of peace, capable of hospitality and solidarity within and outside its borders. The prayer was accompanied by another gift: the Arsenal garden was enriched with a rose dedicated to him. A sign of beauty, a hope of peace.


By the editorial staff
NP November 2023