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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, NOVEMBER 26, 1982
PAGE 7
the pontiff described
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equivalent to Christian Europe.
He
saTd the history of the founding of its nations "coincides with
the penetration of the gospel." European identity, the pope de
clared, "is incomprehensible without Christianity.•.•"
The pope listed as the ills of the world "secularized ideologies
that go as far as to negate God and limit religious liberty,"
excessive importance given to economic success and materialism
and hedonism that attack "the values of the prolific and united
family." For those reasons, he said, Europe must again find its
soul and work to overcome them. He declared that Europe could
become one "and can be so with the respect due to all its differ
ences, Tncluding those of diverse political systems."
The pontiff did not try to chart a path toward the overcoming of
the political chasm between Eastern and Western Europe.
If
Europe achieves these goals, he said, "Its future will not be
dominated by uncertainty and fear, but rather a new period of
life will begin."
Writing for the DAILY TELEGRAPH of London in its November 10th, 1982
edition, reporter Michael Field added:
In an emotional finale at Santiago de Compostela in Galicia,
shrine of the Apostle St. James, the traditional evangeliser of
Spain, the Pontiff pleaded for Peace in "Old Europe."
He offered the services of the Roman Catholic Church as a
mediator between East and West-
.�
He issued the warning that the Continent was facing a crisis of
economic, spiritual and political upheaval, and the threat of
nuclear holocaust. The solution, he said,� in an affirmation
of Europe's Christian heritage. "Precisely 1n this�re found the
common roots that have matured the Continent's civilisation, its
culture, its dynamism••.in one word, all that constitutes its
glory."
The Pontiff asked that due respect be shown for European differ
ences, including the various political systems. Vatican analysts
said it was the first time he had spelled out in any detail his
vision of European unity.
Pilgrims who had come to the Shrine of St. James in the Middle
Ages had helped to make Europe a homogeneous and spiritually
united Continent of Latin, Germanic, Celtic, Anglo-Saxon and Slav
peoples. But now Europe was in erisis, fractured by unnatural
divisions (meaning the ideological division into the cap1tal1st
West and the Communist East] that had stopped its people from
meeting freely, driven
2Y
materialism and hedonism that had
eroded family values, and prey to nihilism that played into the
hands of terrorism.
Before the Pope spoke, King Juan Carlos expressed hopes that the
Pontiff's visit to Spain would produce a spiritual renewal, and