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FEDERATION EUROPEENNE
DES ASSOCIATIONS MEDICALES CATHOLIQUES
EUROPEAN FEDERATION
OF THE CATHOLIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONS
Website: http://www.feamc.eu
JUBILEE OF SICK PERSONS
AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS
Jubilé des Malades et Professionnels de Santé
Rome, 11 February 2000
The Challenge of the Third Millennium in Europe
Dr Paul Deschepper (Belgium)
In my function as president of the European Federation of Catholic Medical Associations, I have been invited to speak about the religious situation in Europe. Unfortunately my information is mainly limited to Belgium and Holland. The situation in other European countries may be similar; you may compare it with the situation in your native country.First of all I will consider some recent inquiries. Second I shall speak about the possible causes and at last I will try drawing some conclusions.
In Belgium the Catholic Church is has moved from a majority to a minority position. A few data may illustrate the actual situation. The Belgian Interdiocese Centre reported that in 1995 13,1% of the Belgian Catholics were still practising (for Flanders: 15,2%, for Wallonia: 11,2% and for Brussels: 7,4%). According to Charles Delhez and Rudolf Reszohazy (Valeurs et croyances des Belges), 1996) 21% of the Belgians were practising (Dutch speaking people: 25%, French speaking people: 15%). Also according to them 33% of the Belgians were faithful but non-practising, (Dutch speaking people: 28%, French speaking people: 39%.) ®27% of the Belgians was not related to religious tradition or faithful: (Dutch speaking people: 25% and French speaking people: 29%.)
The situation in Holland is partly similar but in an other way partly different. Dutch Catholics have got more problems with their bishops but this is a complicated problem apart. The bishops have nominated an increasing number of pastoral workers without sacerdotal ordination to provide a solution because of the decreasing number of priests. The influence of the pastoral workers is growing and there is any risk of a "parallel clergy". Recently an inquiry had been made about the notions of priests and pastoral workers about moral and theological questions. ("Dichtbij en Veraf" published by the Catholic Broadcasting Company). Only 57% of the priests and the deacons still believe the Transubstantiation, 80% of the pastoral workers do not believe this. About 48% of the pastoral workers do not believe Christ being the son of God. Only 12% of the priests and the deacons do not believe this. The authors discovered three different groups of priests/deacons: the first group has got the opinion that the Message of the Church is fundamentally good and that must be promoted more intensely than before; the second group is more in doubt about the organisation of the Church. They want to have a less authoritarian Church and more things in common with the today mentality. The third group asks for more autonomy from Rome, and for married and female priests.
Now I am coming to the second point. In his Christmas message 1999, Godfried Cardinal Danneels wrote that being catholic nowadays is sake of free choice and a personal decision. In this way the Church has become small but more conscious of its own value and more persuading. Our fundamentally Christian establishment is influenced by the today multicultural society. In our secularised society there is a gap between spiritual values and today mentality. There is a considerable indifference and apathy to all features in relation to religion. There is an increasing trend for growing individualism and a flight into privacy. The ideology of Marxism has disappeared but replaced by other ideologies such as skepticism, materialism and the consumism.
During the last decade there has been a tremendous development both of technology and of social and spiritual way of thinking. The most notable fact is the triumph of subjectivism that means everybody living inspired by his own standard and values. Egoism and materialism are more obvious now than during the last centuries, by the tremendous increase of the level of prosperity.
Youth has become less attached to the great myths, like the dynasty, the army, the Church, the hierarchy, and the ideals of Socialism and Marxism. Adolescents are extremely critical and realistic; idealism has greatly vanished, especially as to religion.
I like to may some conclusions. There is a need to more spirituality and transcendence. This is evident, realising success of movements like New Age, scientology and the big number of sects promising happiness.
In which way Catholics will reply? I think we have to act like first Christians, being the living witness of the Gospel, and bringing hope in this secularised world. The witness of Catholicism representing hope and happiness is increasingly important. The inspiration of faithful Catholics has to stimulate other people.
Joachim Cardinal Meisner of Cologne in Germany said recently: "We have to be an island of hope in a sea of solitude and confusion". I think this will be our main task in Europe.
