At the ceremony marking this year’s ESM Europe Days, we had the great pleasure and honour of welcoming Cardinal Reinhard Marx as our main speaker.
In his opening address, School Director Anton Hrovath highlighted the importance of discussing European values, both at events such as these and in everyday school life. He also referred to last year’s Europe Days, during which author Francesca Melandri encouraged critical reflection on whether clearly defined European values exist at all.
In his speech and the subsequent panel discussion with students, Cardinal Marx stressed: “If we pursue the European project merely out of fear, without imagination or passion, simply because it exists, that is not enough.” He described values such as curiosity, openness, independent thinking combined with responsibility, and the willingness to integrate others as closely linked to the Christian worldview. Unlike totalitarian regimes, which seek to control every aspect of life, Europe, he argued, is founded on an awareness of the limits of both human beings and state institutions. Without a Christian view of humanity, all that would remain would be materialism and “blind capitalism”.
At the same time, Cardinal Marx emphasised that Europe must not forget the darker chapters of its history, including colonialism and exploitation. If Europe were willing to promote its positive values globally, it could nevertheless serve as a role model and contribute to building a better world. He also warned against turning Europe into a fortress whose main aim is “to be militarily stronger than others and to defend one’s own prosperity against the world’s poor.”
In the discussion with students following his speech, Cardinal Marx also highlighted the continuing need for reform within the Catholic Church. He explained that reform is not about adapting to the zeitgeist, but about asking whether something is truly in keeping with Jesus and whether people are capable of fulfilling their responsibilities. A lived sense of community, he suggested, could help make faith and the Church more appealing again, particularly to young people.
Group Photo Credits: Robert Kiderle Fotoagentur
