“The bishops of the European Union are close to the family of former MEP Carlo Casini, who joined the Lord today”, Fr. Manuel Barrios Prieto, General Secretary of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), told SIR news agency. “A courageous, civic-minded person, Mr Casini has been a role model politician for the bishops and for the dialogue that COMECE is pursuing with the European institutions, particularly on the promotion of the common good, and on family and human life issues in the EU’s areas of competence”.