“Dearest European Union, to address to you as a friend is quite unusual, spontaneous though as we have grown up with you. You are our ‘Europe’ entailing 27 countries and 450 million inhabitants that have freely chosen to build together the Union that you have become. That is absolutely wonderful!”. Thus begins, with an affectionate tone, the “open letter” to the EU signed by Card. Matteo Maria Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna and President of the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI), and by Mgr Mariano Crociata, Bishop of Latina and President of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), on the occasion of Europe Day 2024, which is celebrated on 9 May in memory of the Schuman Declaration that on that day in 1950 launched the European integration process. “Instead of fighting or ignoring each other, we have decided to get along together! We are aware that it is not always easy, but how decisive it is to work together and to erase barriers and defenses instead of putting them up. You are our home, our first common home”, Card. Zuppi and Mgr Crociata continued, “in which we learn to live as ‘All Brothers’, just like it has been written by one of your children whose parents went to the ‘end of the world’ to seek for a future”.
The long letter, which looks ahead to the European elections in June, expresses first and foremost a desire: “That what you represent and what you are can be strengthened, that we all learn to feel you close to us, to feel you as a friend and not far nor unknown. You need this because people often speak badly of you, and many forget how many important things you do! During COVID, this has become visible: only together could we face pandemics. Unfortunately, we only realize this when we are overwhelmed by necessity, and then we easily forget it! So, when we think we can do it on our own we end up all against all”.
A broad historical reconstruction follows, one that traces the roots of economic and political integration back to the desire for peace that arose from the “tragedy of the Second World War”. Those who “thought about this project” and “did want it” are then remembered, namely Robert Schuman, a Frenchman, Konrad Adenauer, a German, and Alcide De Gasperi, an Italian. “Animated by Christian faith, they felt the call to create something that would make war impossible again onto the European soil. Their thought has been smart, ambitious and courageous. Some steps proved to be difficult, but the strength that comes from unity showed the value of the path taken and the possibility of correcting, adjusting and understanding”.