Mission Statement

Passion for Europe Group - Mission Statement

The PASSION FOR EUROPE GROUP,

We note:

After decades of becoming an ever closer union the European integration project is challenged by a series of crises which pose a significant challenge to further constructive developments - the climate change crisis, the migration crisis, the terrorist attacks, Brexit, the corona crisis, the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis, high inflation, and disruptive new technological developments. A combination of destabilizing factors of these crises might weaken the European Union significantly in times in which it should be prepared to defend itself and take a stabilizing stance in global politics.
All these are symptomatic of much deeper crises including the threat to democracy in EU Member States, the discord of nations within Europe, the loss of the European common good, the confusion caused by disinformation and the spiritual crisis brought about by excessive secularization and individualization.
We are a group of Christians from several nationalities who are passionate about the European project and look to the future with hope, mindful of the lessons of the Holy Scripture. We have hope as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast and which enters the presence behind the veil (Hebrews, 6:19) and we are mindful that we should not grieve as those who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13).
That for the Group, European border regions have a spiritual mission: The ‘border’ experience challenges our settled categories. It is always rooted in particularly local conditions and always rooted in diversity. Variations on this experience can be found in every locality in Europe between differing neighbourhoods, often within walking distance of each other. The ‘border’ experience can help to create spaces of contact in which not only economic development can happen but cultural, religious and societal exchanges can flourish just as they do in today’s societies by diversity.

We take into consideration:

The need to intensify a constructive dialogue in relation to the deep spiritual crisis within the European Union and on the European continent as a whole.
The need to rediscover the European common good, as laid down in Passion for Europe Manifesto.
The need for trust due to the growing interdependence of nations.
The need for a vision of Europe as a trustee of the universal common good and a forum in which its own divisions, both between nations and within nations, can be overcome.
The value for mankind of personalist philosophy, the speeches of the Popes to the EU and on Europe, the two social encyclicals Laudato si and Fratelli tutti as well as the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church.
The call of Pope Francis for ‘memory transfusion’ entails, among other things reviving the vision of the founding fathers of the EU, rooted in the Church’s social thought and the social dimension of Christian anthropology.
The need to promote European History in addition to the prevailing nationalist historiographies.
The need to reconfirm Christianity as civilizational choice of all of us and by founding members of the EU.
The need for a place of dialogue between people who think differently, including people who have lost trust in the current models of governance in the European Union or who are disappointed for not feeling involved.

Our mission includes the following activities:

Ensuring that the spirit of the European integration project continues to resonate also and fully with the Social Doctrine of the Church.
Informing citizens and institutions on the extent to which the project of European integration has produced an extraordinarily long period of peace and prosperity in the EU. We value the achievements of the project and about the need to tackle the spiritual crisis and we seek to rediscover the vision of the founding fathers on Europe, to promote European historiography, the European common good as well as the value for mankind of personalist philosophy, the speeches of the Popes to the EU and on Europe, the two social encyclicals Laudato Si and Fratelli tutti as well as the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church.
Creating places of reflection and dialogue between people with respect to the European Project, especially with those who have lost trust or do not feel involved.
Elaborating proposals on how to deal with the deep spiritual crisis in the society of the European Union and on the European continent as a whole, that affects both the European Project and its relations with the rest of the world. Attachment to the European project in an increasingly multipolar world implies the ability to defend it against the hostility of those who do not share its values, while keeping at the core the ultimate goal of universal human solidarity.
Teaching people about what we can learn from frontiers , how we can overcome these by various forms of cross-border cooperation and exchanges and how mutual understanding and trust can be built by these exchanges.
Drawing on this frontier experience, to promote the use of local citizen juries as a means of building bridges between neighbourhoods of differing resources and opportunities within the same Local Council areas.
Launching proposals supporting the future of Europe, in particular its governance and democracy.
Remembering the creation of the common destiny represented by the European Union and to recognize that the spirit of this project is fully consistent with the Social Doctrine of the Church. This body of thought has inspired its founders with a shared vision of the common good, giving birth to a new soul for Europe. This can be an example for the future of humanism that results from the idea that the European citizens are each other’s brothers and sisters, as put forward by Pope Francis in the encyclical Fratelli tutti.
Contributing to the preparation of the revision of the European treaties based on Christian inspiration.

We make use of the following instruments, among others and at this juncture, for this purpose:

Cooperation with the Jesuit European Social Centre to market, finance, organize its activities and to receive spiritual and logistical support as well, if there is a need, to contribute to the European Leadership Programme of the Jesuit European Social Centre.
Regular meetings of the Group to discuss and reflect on the status of the European project in the EU and its neighbouring countries and how it could be improved.
An annual two-day seminar with participants of various generations and nationalities at the La Pairelle spirituality house in Namur open to all persons that want to be informed about and discuss developments of the European project inspired by the wisdom of the founding fathers of the European Union and Christian values.
Webinars focusing on the most recent challenges of the European project.
Feeding into the JESC Newsletter with three articles per quarter on diverse European topics. Maintain in cooperation with JESC a Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin account to spread key messages of the Passion for Europe Group and participants in its activities to journalists, relevant institutions and organizations and other spreaders of the Passion for Europe news.
Information sharing activities with the EU institutions by different ways, e.g. meetings with EU officials being in charge of the implementation of the dialogue with the Churches, participation in conferences on the future of Europe and presentation of the group’s opinion to the EU institutions both ad hoc and in a structured way.
Engaging in cooperation with organizations related to the European Project like think tanks and foundations of European political parties and organizations that share the group’s Christian inspiration.
Organize in cooperation with the JESC workshops, lectures and courses on the relation between the European Project on the one hand and on the other Christian values such as those expressed by the founding fathers of the EU, enshrined in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church and put forward in speeches and writings of Church leader such as the Pope.
Maintaining in cooperation with JESC a frequently updated website where all persons and organizations like schools, universities, trade unions, employers’ organizations, political parties and their scientific institutes that seek Christian inspiration for their programs and activities regarding the European project can find the latest and most valuable texts and books and where they can contribute to the reflections and the activities of Passion for Europe mentioned above.
Raise, if needed jointly with other institutions such as JESC, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, the Committee of the Regions, COMECE, UNIAPAC, the European University Institute, the College of Europe, Catholic University of Leuven, Foundations of the European Political Parties, European think tanks, embassies and permanent representations, trade unions and employers, funds for its activities and to foster study projects of students, teaching projects and book projects on the relation between Christian values such as solidarity, subsidiarity, personalism and the heritage of the founding fathers on the one hand and the European Project in all its dimensions on the other.
Promote among policymakers the Observatory of history teaching in Europe and the development of the EU Erasmus Program not only for students but also for schoolchildren, teachers in particular of history, trainees, local politicians, entrepreneurs, parishes.
Inform the media about the activities mentioned above.

Jesuit European Social Centre
Chaussee de Wavre 205 - 1050, Bruxelles
Tel: +32 (0)4 653 899 34
Email: [email protected]
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