café babel: The new Catholic Crusade: destination Europe

café babelThe new Catholic Crusade: destination Europe

Between the lack of priests, empty pews and the dwindling influence of the Church, the new pope certainly has his work cut out. However he has several tricks up his sleeve to solve them. Believers say that a society from which God is completely absent self-destructs. We saw that in the major totalitarian regimes of last century.” Indeed Europe today is a much more secular place than it has been for centuries. Apart from the official separation of church and state, it is also obvious from the unfilled pews, the empty seminaries and the spread of what is seen as liberal legislation, such as the legalisation of euthanasia, abortion and gay marriage. The Pope will also want to focus on maintaining his political influence in Europe. With a decline in Catholic followers, the Church’s influence on European politics is also likely to be in danger. The recent battle in the European Parliament over the nomination of devout catholic Rocco Buttiglione to the European Commission and the fact that the European Constitutional Treaty does not mention God were stark reminders for the Church of its dwindling influence. Here, the Church has several tested methods at its disposal. It can influence individual politicians, for instance by refusing them Holy Communion if they vote in favour of liberal legislation. It also has several organisations lobbying for its causes in Brussels. But most effective of all is the so-called ´concordat´, a formal agreement between the Pope and a government or head of state for the regulation of church affairs. Could there be a Christian Coalition in the making under the influence of the Catholic Church in Europe?