We are also celebrating the 50th birthday of the European Union. This is grander in scale and scope that our own Muzew. It directly interests the present and the future of millions of people in Europe and indirectly around the world. The EU bishops and the Pope commemorated the event with noteworthy speeches.

The European bishops meeting in Rome for the occasion,concentrated on the values perspective of tomorrow's Europe. The bishops feel that they are an intrinsic part of the European project. "We consider it to be our duty to carry on the work of European construction... It took our forebears more than 100 years to build a new cathedral for just a few people. In 50 years we have built a new 'cathedral' for all Europeans."

The bishops look to the future, saying that the Union "must combat the exploitation of women and children and the violation of human rights; it must face up to the causes and consequences of climate change. In this context, we must bring together the experiences of a greater number of member states. We must meet the rising expectation of our citizens in respect of the European Union's response to globalisation. We must maintain an adequate level of social protection."

They express the hope that Europe will "rediscover its early dynamism" and that as a result of the present dialogue between the heads of state and government "the institutional solution that is found... safeguards human dignity and the values which flow from it, such as freedom of religion in all its aspects. It must protect the institutional rights of Churches and of faith communities. It should also explicitly recognise the Christian heritage of our continent."

Pope Benedict also spoke very clearly and forcefully on the occasion. His Holiness noted how Europe has sought to reconcile "the economic and social dimensions through policies aimed at producing wealth... yet without overlooking the legitimate expectations of the poor and marginalised. However, in demographic terms, it must unfortunately be noted that Europe seems set on a path that could lead to its exit from history.

"It could almost be imagined that the European continent is actually losing faith in its own future," the Pope said, recalling how in some fields such as "respect for the environment" or "access to energy resources and investments, solidarity finds scant incentives, in both the international and the national fields."

"If, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, the governments of the EU wish to 'get closer' to their citizens, how can they exclude such an essential element of European identity as Christianity, in which a vast majority of that people continue to identify themselves? Is it not surprising that modern Europe, while seeking to present itself as a community of values, seems ever more frequently to question the very existence of universal and absolute values? And does this singular form of 'apostasy' - from oneself even more than from God - not perhaps induce Europe to doubt its own identity?"