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Herald Malaysia
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Apostolic Nuncio to EU: We need peace and the transmission of faith
The Apostolic Nuncio to the European Union says it is critical for families in Europe to transmit the faith and that young people are thirsting for this relationship with God, and likewise is reiterating the great concern for peace in the world always-more enveloped by war, even on European soil. May 24, 2025 Pope Leo XIV meets with Presidency of COMECE (@VATICAN MEDIA) By Deborah Castellano LubovThe Apostolic Nuncio to the European Union says it is critical for families in Europe to transmit the faith and that young people are thirsting for this relationship with God, and likewise is reiterating the great concern for peace in the world always-more enveloped by war, even on European soil. In an interview with Vatican News, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, made this observation, following the Presidency of the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union, or COMECE's, encounter with Pope Leo on Friday morning. Speaking to Vatican Media in the interview this morning, he reflected on Pope Leo's 'intense' encounter with the Presidency of (COMECE), in which he openly listened to those before him. The Archbishop, along with the Presidency, had reiterated the Pope's great concern for the war in Ukraine, and the need for a just peace. Moreover, it was emphasized the Holy Father's dismay for an increased focus on military spending that may come at the expense of support for the most needy and vulnerable." Just and lasting peace needed in Ukraine Archbishop Auza had been appointed Nuncio to the European Union in late March and just began this latest role. He candidly shared, "I just arrived in Brussels yesterday. As a matter of fact, I have not been to the nunciature because when I arrive at the airport, I took the flight to come to Rome for this audience with the pope. So, I mean, it is providential and it's rare," and "such a coincidence that I'm just starting my new mission to the European Union and with the community received today." The last post of Archbishop Auza, who prior to his latest assignment as apostolic nuncio to the EU, was the nuncio to Kingdom of Spain and the Principality of Andorra. He also had long served as the Holy See's Permanent Observer to the United Nations in New York. Therefore, in a special way, the Nuncio remembered that at the encounter, working toward peace and making efforts to end war, especially that of Ukraine, were at the forefront on the conversations. Amid the "many wars in the world" and "so many conflicts," in places which, the Apostolic Nuncio suggested, it can be challenging to negotiate or find an agreement, "the Holy See could be able to contribute. At least, the Holy Father has made it very clear." Great thirst of the young for the faith Yet, Archbishop Auza, expressed that other themes were likewise treated with much attention, including the need for transmitting faith in families, the importance of combatting a demographic winter, and the need for migrants to be treated properly and with respect. In particular, Archbishop Auza discussed the renewed interest in the Church and the faith even among young people. "In so many countries," he said, "it seems there is really a renewed interest, and even a greater desire, to know more the Catholic Church." He said that the passing away of Pope Francis and the election of a new Pope also contributed to this rekindled interest. "Even those who are not really experts about the papacy would say something," he noted, saying the theme "entered into everybody's house, everybody's television set, everybody's internet connection. " The Filipino-born Archbishop suggested there is a great hope the Church will give "a new inertia." During the interview, the Apostolic Nuncio remembered that Pope Leo interjected to reaffirm the interest of young people and children for the faith, despite counter narratives trying to suggest otherwise. "The Pope mentioned that people, societies, governments will say that, 'you don't need to, or we don't want to talk to the young children, because the children or young people are not interested anymore about religion, about God." Renewed interest in Christ and the Church "The Holy Father said, that's not true," instead, "there is a thirst." In fact, Archbishop Auza recalled how COMECE Vice-President, Archbishop Antoine Hérouard of Dijon, said, 'that's very true,' and how that is reflected in some areas with a record number of baptisms, of people involved in catechism classes. "There's so much seems to be renewed energy in young people," in this regard, he suggested, acknowledging, this tendency had been "in a sense, lost, probably, for some years now." "There is still hope. And, you know, you will see that there is a moment of return after so much, probably, 'Oh, we haven't heard of this. We haven't heard of Jesus Christ.' So I think there is so much there that we could do." Need for families transmitting faith from one generation to the next The Archbishop reaffirmed how important it is to pass on the faith. "The question of New Evangelization is fundamentally the question of transmission of the faith from one generation to the next, and that is what constitutes really the structural problem, namely that there is no more channel of transmission, that the parents don't talk about the faith anymore, they don't go to church anymore." For these reasons, he lamented, children often have not been in churches, observing, "now there is a movement that even to prohibit children from being baptized or being taught about religion," with the thought that this would not be appropriate "until they become adults that they could choose for themselves." Yet, the Nuncio, maintains, when it comes to "the role of the family in the transmission of faith, I mean, there is no question about this. It's more important than the parish." "It's more than a transmission," Archbishop Auza argues, "It's more like an osmosis. You put a sponge in the water and it sponsors the whole family there, if you will. Everybody imbibes, you might say, the, the water into that whole space."--Vatican News
Herald Malaysia
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
European, African bishops demand end to land grabs, exploitation
Catholic Church leaders have repeatedly urged fairer treatment of African populations in international investment deals May 23, 2025 Some of Southern Africa's Bishops attending an IMBISA meeting. (Photo: Vatican News) By Jonathan Luxmoore, OSV News Catholic bishops from Europe and Africa have issued a strong joint statement warning that Africa is once again becoming a "battleground for external interests" -- particularly over land, resources and Europe's climate agenda. "We have witnessed a profound shift in European priorities -- away from solidarity with the most fragile regions and communities, and from development cooperation aimed at eradicating poverty and hunger, towards a more narrowly defined set of geopolitical and economic interests," the Brussels-based Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union, known as COMECE, said in a joint statement with the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar, known as SECAM. "Africa is being asked to sacrifice its ecosystems and communities to help Europe meet its decarbonization goals -- whether through massive land deals for so-called 'green' energy projects, the expansion of carbon offset plantations, or the outsourcing of industrial agriculture's toxic inputs and waste. This is not partnership. This is not justice." The statement was issued ahead of the May 21 meeting of EU and African Union foreign ministers, called to review multilateral aims and achievements since a previous summit in February 2022. COMECE's spokesman, Alessandro Di Maio, told OSV News the bishops' statement had gained "positive reactions" from European Commission and Parliament officials, adding that COMECE and SECAM would continue "advocacy work" at upcoming EU-AU consultations on agriculture, food chain supplies, security and other issues. He said COMECE's five-member presidency, headed by Italian Bishop Mariano Crociata, would discuss related issues at a May 23 audience with Pope Leo XIV, and were confident the pontiff's missionary background would "serve him well in promoting fair and just relations with Africa." COMECE and SECAM bishops said they spoke with "a voice formed by the lived realities of people," and hoped leaders from both continents would "rise to the moment," and reestablish a partnership "that listens to the cries of the earth and the cries of the poor." They added, however, that the EU's current Global Gateway project, which will release $169 billion of investment in Africa, appeared to be replicating "extractive patterns of the past" -- privileging "European corporate and strategic aims over the real needs and aspirations of African people." "Land, water, seeds and minerals -- the very foundations of life -- seem to be once again treated as commodities for foreign profit rather than as common goods stewarded with care," said the COMECE-SECAM statement. Leaders of the Catholic Church have repeatedly urged fairer treatment of African populations in international investment deals, in the face of worsening climate and environmental degradation. An EU communique said the foreign ministers' meeting, opening May 21, would celebrate the "enduring and unique partnership" between European and African governments, bearing the "voices, hopes and dreams of more than 1.9 billion people." However, the bishops said the meeting should reexamine "the very nature of the partnership," and protect local economic systems, which were "not backward or inefficient," but "resilient, rooted in tradition and adapted to local ecologies." Among recommendations, they said governments should end Africa's dependency on imported fertilizers and genetically modified seeds, adding that it was a "grave injustice" that hazardous pesticides banned in Europe were still being marketed to African farmers. They also urged investment in agroecology, which was "validated by science," and demanded decisive action to end land grabbing, which spurred "conflict and forced migration." The bishops said they were "particularly disturbed" by the growing use of African territory for Europe's "resource needs and climate ambitions," adding that it was "ethically untenable to demand that Africa become the dumping ground for Europe's green transition." "Africa does not need charity, nor to be a battleground for external interests. What it needs is justice. What it needs is a partnership grounded in mutual respect, environmental stewardship, and the centrality of human dignity," COMECE and SECAM said. COMECE's Di Maio said: "Not only does the Catholic Church have a strong African presence -- it is also an integral part of the continent, providing spiritual and social support to numerous communities." He told OSV News: "This position, rooted in grassroots engagement, enables the church to gain deep insight into the often challenging realities faced in the region. We hope European and African foreign ministers will have the foresight to take into account the input and contributions coming from the church."--
Zawya
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Joint Statement of Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) and Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) ahead of the AU – EU Foreign Ministers' Meeting on 21 May 2025
As shepherds of the Catholic Church in Africa and in Europe, we, the bishops of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) ( and of the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), speak today with a voice formed by the lived realities of our people – farmers, fisherfolk, pastoralists, women and youth – whose lives are shaped by the land, and whose hope depends on justice, peace, and dignity. We welcome the convening of the joint African Union–European Union Foreign Ministers' Meeting as an opportunity to examine not only shared ambitions but the very nature of our partnership. As SECAM and COMECE have already stated five years ago, ' we are firmly convinced that Africa and Europe could become the engines for a reinvigoration of multilateral cooperation by reinforcing their longstanding ties marked by our common roots and geographical proximity […] towards an equitable and responsible partnership that puts the people at its centre '. We are, however, deeply concerned about certain developments in this partnership over recent years. We have witnessed a profound shift in European priorities – away from solidarity with the most fragile regions and communities, and from development cooperation aimed at eradicating poverty and hunger, towards a more narrowly defined set of geopolitical and economic interests. Notwithstanding the commendable intention behind some projects promoting human development at the grassroots, certain initiatives supported under the EU's Global Gateway - while presented as mutually beneficial - too often seem to replicate extractive patterns of the past: privileging European corporate and strategic aims over the real needs and aspirations of African people. Land, water, seeds, and minerals – the very foundations of life – seem to be once again treated as commodities for foreign profit rather than as common goods to be stewarded with care. Africa is being asked to sacrifice its ecosystems and communities to help Europe meet its decarbonisation goals – whether through massive land deals for so-called 'green' energy projects, the expansion of carbon offset plantations, or the outsourcing of industrial agriculture's toxic inputs and waste. This is not partnership. This is not justice. 'The earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor' (Laudato Si', §2) The Catholic Church, inspired by late Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si', shares the understanding that we must hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. These cries are loud and clear across Africa. Climate change is wreaking havoc on those who depend on the land, even as our continent has contributed least to the crisis. Soil degradation, poisoned water, and the loss of biodiversity are destroying the foundation of rural life. Hunger in Africa is growing, not because we lack food, but because we have allowed systems to dominate that put profit above people and that treat agriculture as an industrial process, not a way of life. We urge the ministers gathered in Brussels to place the dignity of African peoples at the heart of the AU-EU partnership. This means supporting a transformation of agriculture that breaks free from dependency on imported fertilisers, chemical inputs, and genetically modified seeds. It means protecting and promoting farmer-managed seed systems, which are the repositories of Africa's agricultural biodiversity and the key to food sovereignty. These systems are not backward or inefficient – they are resilient, rooted in tradition, and adapted to local ecologies. Criminalising farmers for saving seeds or imposing rigid intellectual property regimes aligned with UPOV or corporate agendas violates both their rights and the planet's needs. We call for an immediate ban on the export and use of Highly Hazardous Pesticides in Africa. It is a grave injustice that chemicals banned in Europe for their risks to health and ecosystems are still manufactured there and marketed to African farmers. This double standard must end. Instead, we must invest in agroecology – a science, a practice, and a social movement that nourishes the land, respects cultural traditions, and empowers women and youth. Agroecology offers a truly African path to climate adaptation and rural regeneration. It is rooted in the wisdom of our communities and validated by science. It is our future. Moreover, we remind our political leaders that land is sacred. For most Africans, land is not merely a factor of production or a tradable asset. It is a gift from God, entrusted to us by our ancestors and held in common for future generations. Large-scale land acquisitions by foreign investors or development finance institutions, carried out without free, prior, and informed consent, are an affront to this sacred trust. They displace communities, erode customary rights, and contribute to conflict and forced migration. Ministers must act decisively to end land grabbing and ensure legal protection for communal and customary tenure systems. We are particularly disturbed by growing use of African territory as a site for Europe's resource needs and climate ambitions. Decarbonisation must not come at the cost of African ecosystems or the rights of African communities. It is ethically untenable to demand that Africa become the dumping ground for Europe's 'green transition' – whether through extractive mining for critical minerals or vast land projects that reduce our continent to a carbon sink. Let us be clear: Africa does not need charity, nor does it need to be a battleground for external interests. What it needs is justice. What it needs is a partnership grounded in mutual respect, environmental stewardship, and the centrality of human dignity. We believe such a partnership is possible – but only if the structures and priorities of AU-EU cooperation are fundamentally reoriented towards these objectives. We therefore urge ministers to listen more closely to African civil society, Indigenous peoples, and faith communities – not as token participants, but as equal co-creators of policy. Real dialogue means making space for the voices of those who live on and with the land. We conclude by echoing the spirit of Laudato Si', which calls for an 'integral ecology' – one that recognises the profound interconnection between people, planet, and purpose. We pray that this meeting may mark a turning point – not only in diplomatic relations but in the moral and spiritual compass guiding our shared future. Africa needs a transformation rooted in the Gospel values of care for creation, solidarity with the poor, and the pursuit of peace. As Laudato Si' teaches us, 'everything is interconnected' (§117) – and so our response must be holistic and courageous. We invite the AU and EU Foreign Ministers to rise to this moment. Let this be the partnership that listens to the cries of the earth and the cries of the poor. Let this be the moment when Africa's future is shaped not by external interests, but by the aspirations of its people – especially those who till the land, feed the nation, and protect the environment. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM). Media Contact: Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) 19 Square de Meeûs | 1050 Brussels (BELGIUM) Tel. +32 2 235 05 10 Website: Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) 4 Senchi Street | P.O. Box KA 9156 Airport | Accra (GHANA) Tel: +233 (302) 778867/8 Website :
Herald Malaysia
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Bishops of Africa and Europe: 'Africa does not need charity but justice'
Before the EU Foreign Ministers meet next week, the two conferences stress the need to shift back to 'partnership grounded in mutual respect, environmental stewardship, and the centrality of human dignity.' May 16, 2025 Logo for SECAM - the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar By Kielce GussieAhead of the European Union Foreign Ministers' Meeting on May 21, the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) and the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) issued a joint statement raising concerns about 'a profound shift in European priorities.' From five years ago to today… Half a decade ago, SECAM and COMECE stressed that they were 'firmly convinced' that Europe and Africa had the potential to reinvigorate 'multilateral cooperation by reinforcing their longstanding ties marked by our common roots and geographical proximity.' However, in their statement issued on May 15, the two Bishops' Conferences highlight their worry that the attention has shifted 'away from solidarity with the most fragile regions and communities' and towards 'a more narrowly defined set of geopolitical and economic interests.' At what expense? Priorities seem to have changed to the 'patterns of the past' – a return to placing 'European corporate and strategic aims over the real needs and aspirations of African people.' This means the basic foundations of life – land, water, seeds, and minerals – have once again become commodities 'for foreign profit.' The African continent is therefore being made to put its ecosystems and communities at risk to support Europe's decarbonisation objectives through land agreements marketed as being part of 'green' energy projects or shifting the burden of industrial agriculture's toxic inputs and waste to other regions. The statement from SECAM and COMECE emphasizes that this current situation 'is not partnership. This is not justice.' Pope Francis' legacy lives on Recalling Pope Francis' encyclical, Laudato Si' , the Bishops' Conferences call to mind the 'cry of the earth and the cry of the poor,' which are 'loud and clear across Africa.' It points out the injustice African countries are facing as a result of the imbalance in the relationship between them and Europe. COMECE and SECAM highlight the effects of climate change, loss of biodiversity, and soil degradation and how hunger is growing on the African continent, not 'because we lack food, but because we have allowed systems to dominate that put profit above people.' A call for change The two conferences urge the EU Foreign Ministers, who will meet on May 21 in Brussels, to put the 'dignity of African peoples at the heart of the African Union (AU)-European Union (EU) partnership.' They highlight the need to protect and promote farmer-managed seed systems, which are 'the key to food sovereignty.' To conclude, the COMECE and SECAM statement becomes a call to action with specific examples of how to go from abstract to concrete. They advocate 'for an immediate ban on the export and use of Highly Hazardous Pesticides in Africa.' They point out the injustice that chemicals which are banned in Europe are still made and sold to African farmers. 'This double standard must end.' The statement offers many suggestions on how to better care for and respect the African continent and its ecosystem. But they emphasize that 'Africa does not need charity' rather, it requires justice and 'a partnership grounded in mutual respect, environmental stewardship, and the centrality of human dignity.' To do this, COMECE and SECAM call for the AU and EU ministers to 'rise to this moment' and listen more attentively to the African civil society, Indigenous peoples, and faith communities 'not as token participants, but as equal co-creators of policy.'--Vatican News
