On the evening of 8 May 2025, people from different Christian communities and denominations gathered in front of their screens to participate in an event on Zoom, promoted by Together for Europe and the ‘Families’ Movement of Schönstatt, Austria’. Under the motto ‘For the future of Europe’, the online event offered a mix of reflections, personal testimonies and musical contributions.
A varied programme with moving speeches
The meeting opened with the profound reflections of Fr. Heinrich Walter, Schönstatt, who shared his long experience with Together for Europe: a glimpse into the spiritual depth and potential of this network at European level. Another highlight was a video message from Lukas Mandl, Austrian Member of the European Parliament. He described his vision of a united Europe, aware of its Christian roots and able to use them as a foundation for a peaceful future. Imo Trojan, an Evangelical, emphasised the importance of interfaith dialogue. His personal commitment and interest in the spiritual wealth of the different European countries was inspiring. Sascha Becker, YMCA Vienna, spoke of his vocation and faithfulness to the journey with Together for Europe: how important it is to find one’s place in the network and to contribute to it with passion!
Touching personal testimonies showed how talents and charisms of individuals and communities become visible and effective along the journey together. Musical contributions and prayers for peace and unity completed the programme.
Prayers for Europe in Innsbruck and Klagenfurt
Other signs of hope took place in Austria: in Innsbruck (8 May) and Klagenfurt (9 May), Christians from different Churches gathered for ecumenical moments of prayer for Europe. In Innsbruck, many were struck by the prayer of the Member of the European Parliament, Mag. Sophia Kircher, whereas in Klagenfurt, the piano performance of a Ukrainian pianist was a particularly intense musical moment, making the bond with the peoples of other countries tangible.
In remembrance of the Schuman Declaration, which 75 years ago laid the foundations for the European Union, biographical insights were offered into the life of a man whose Christian beliefs profoundly influenced his political vision.
Biblical texts and spiritual reflections invited recollection and opened a space for meditation. A final agape and personal exchange concluded the meetings, bringing out the desire for a reconciled coexistence between the Churches and peoples of Europe.
A continent in transformation needs people with faith, hope and reconciliation.
On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, the city of Strasbourg organised a fair with entertainment for children and some 20 stands run by pro-European institutions and associations. All this was in the context of Europe Day.
The Committee of Together for Europe in Strasbourg decided to participate in the event.
First and foremost, this helped to strengthen the group, both in the preparation and management of the stand. In addition, it enabled interesting contacts and important discussions with the public. It was also an opportunity to forge links, in particular with other exhibitors at the fair. This broadened our dialogue with associations that are committed on a civil level to a more solidarity-based European project.
The event concluded with an ecumenical celebration at the Temple Neuf, a Lutheran church in the centre of Strasbourg. At a historic moment when war has returned to Europe’s doorstep and the European project seems threatened, Orthodox, Catholic, Evangelical and Anglican pastors and faithful gathered for a moment of prayer. It centred on the words of the Schuman Declaration and reiterated the common commitment to peace. A future of peace in Europe and in the world – so it was said – will depend on those who know that they are heirs to a strong history and are committed to living in fraternity. This is the best way to help realise Europe’s motto: ‘United in diversity’.
Brussels, 15 May 2025 – Europe continues to be the talk of the town, at the centre of international tensions and heated debates, the outcome of which affects the lives of its citizens: almost half a billion of them are citizens of the European Union. Peace versus defence, war or commercial peace, choices on energy, development policies and social justice, identity and diversity, openness and borders: the issues on the agenda are numerous and, in the face of changes in the internal and external scenario – first and foremost the war in Ukraine -, the re-reading and updating of the prophecy of Robert Schuman and the founding fathers is not only topical, but necessary.
Seventy-five years have passed since the then French Foreign Minister delivered his revolutionary speech in Paris on 9 May 1950, laying the foundations for the European integration process. Today, in the European Parliament building in Brussels, a panel of experts, representatives of various Christian Movements and young activists gave voice to the vision of European unity as an instrument of peace.
Different Churches and Movements from various countries in Europe
The event took place on the initiative of Together for Europe (TfE) together with a number of MEPs, at the invitation of Slovakian MEP Miriam Lexmann – who was absent for family reasons – and brought together on the morning of 15 May, some 100 people from Belgium, Italy, Germany, Holland, Slovakia, Austria, France, Greece and Romania. In attendance were Catholic, Orthodox and Reform Church Christians; representatives of the Immanuel Community, YMCA, Focolare, Schoenstatt, Sant’Egidio, Quinta Dimensione, Pope John XXIII Community: the typical variety of the TfE network. The moderator of Together, Gerhard Pross, witnessed the beginnings: ‘For us it is important to express the power of faith in shaping society. However, we are not interested in power or domination, but in bringing the hope, love and strength of reconciliation and togetherness inherent in the Gospel’.
High school and university students experience European dialogue, institutions and spirituality
Among the audience – and among the speakers – a strong youth component stands out: 20 from the Spojená škola Svätá rodina high school in Bratislava. They study active citizenship and European law. They are in Brussels with their professors, for an experience that may mark their professional and life path. Among them, Maria Kovaleva: ‘I come from Russia and for me Europe means being able to be here, regardless of where I come from or the political situation in my country or in Slovakia, and to speak freely – right here, in the heart of Europe. For me, Europe has always been a place where it doesn’t matter what religion or nationality you have. Everyone has the right to speak, and to speak without censorship. This is the kind of Europe that Robert Schuman dreamed of’.
Peter, 16, says he is genuinely amazed, finding himself for the first time in an institutional location where important decisions are made. He is the student representative and what he experienced in Brussels is for him an inspiration for the future, in which through management or engagement in politics he can play a leadership role.
Samuel is 17 years old. He calls these days ‘an extraordinary experience to find out more about the rest of Europe, how politics works, how Parliament works; I think I can speak for the whole class: it was extraordinary!’.
Another student representation came from Italy. They are 10 students of political science and international relations from LUMSA, in Rome. Daniele, a first year political science student, is particularly impressed by the moment in the afternoon: the ecumenical prayer in the ‘Chapel for Europe’. ‘I like Chiara Lubich’s work, building bridges to bring everyone together, and you could see the commitment in everyone present. It is not a meeting between dreamers, but a concrete search that leads to something solid’. For Diego, it is a moment in which memory is renewed and leads to continuity. He is inspired by the globality that one breathes in Brussels, ‘a starting point for future developments’ and particularly appreciated the interventions of the MEPs.
The appeal of MEPs to young people and Movements
Present in the morning were Antonella Sberna (European Conservatives and Reformists), Vice-President of the European Parliament and responsible for the implementation of Article 17 TFEU,Leoluca Orlando and Cristina Guarda (Greens). ‘You are the example of what the EU can do for our peoples and civilisations,’ says the vice-president, addressing Together for Europe. And she invited the young people present to ‘be critical, but passionate’, to ‘study Europe well’, to be ‘together in the service of correcting what we do not like and guaranteeing peace within our borders, as an example of the union of peoples while respecting sovereignty’.
Leoluca Orlando invites to ‘grasp the project of the future that lay in Schumann’s action, cultivating a restless memory’ and recalls the principle of fraternity, which overcomes the historical polarisation between right and left on freedom and equality. And as an example of fraternity he reports ‘the prophetic experience of unity between Catholics and Lutherans, thanks to Chiara Lubich’s intuition, in Ottmaring, Bavaria, a place in the heart of the Thirty Years’ War’.
For Cristina Guarda, peace is the key word: ‘As Christian Movements I ask you to be part of this discussion, and to demand our consistency in the search for peace. And therefore make right choices and vote correctly, to respect peace’.
Accompanying Europe to realise its vocation
And it is precisely to a project of peace that Schuman’s Declaration aspires: Jeff Fountain, of the Schuman Centre, offers an interpretation of the spiritual foundations of the Declaration, of his ‘courageous three-minute speech’: ‘his project was not just political or economic. Read at a deeper level, the Schuman Declaration reveals that the project is deeply moral, spiritual, rooted in the values of the heart’. ‘The institutions he helped inspire – however imperfect – are a defence against a return to the politics of domination and exclusion, of fear and hatred’.
But who should give Europe a soul?Alberto Lo Presti invites us to reflect. ‘We should not expect such a soul to be produced by European political institutions and passed on to its citizens. I would not want to live in a society in which the institution inculcates a worldview in my brain. This is usually done by the totalitarian political organisations that we have also known well here in Europe: for example, Nazi-fascism and communism. The soul of the European Union will be seen when that soul is visible in the daily choices of its citizens. As Together for Europe we want to accompany Europe to the realisation of its vocation’.
In the Protomoteca Hall: Memory – Today – Prophecy
A Europe that remembers, that questions, that looks to the future and that prays: this is the vision that emerged at the event ‘Europe between memory and prophecy – 75 years after the Schuman Declaration’ promoted by Together for Europe that took place in the solemn setting of the Protomoteca Hall in the Capitol. The initiative, supported by the European Commission Representation in Italy and the Municipality of Rome, brought together scholars, young people, institutional representatives, representatives of the Orthodox, Anglican, Methodist, Waldensian and Catholic Church for an in-depth dialogue on the present and future of the continent.
The conference was opened by researcher Federico Castiglioni, who moderated the intense programme. After the Hymn of Europe, journalist Carla Cotignoli introduced the path of Together for Europe, born from the desire to combine European identity with shared spiritual values.
The programme was then divided into three moments: Memory, Today, Prophecy. During the first part, dedicated to Memory, young Carmine Maraio and historian Maria Pia Di Nonno offered a lucid look at the construction of a European identity. Particularly touching was the video remembrance dedicated to David Maria Sassoli, an emblematic figure of an open and solidarity-oriented Europe.
In the Today segment, Vaticanist Riccardo Cristiano and Megalizzi Foundation ambassador Giulia Covalea presented new European initiatives with a focus on youth participation and intergenerational communication.
A musical interlude provided by flutist Giulia Valenti gave the participants a moment of artistic reflection.
The third and final moment, Prophecy, aimed to cast our gaze into the future. The speeches by Angèle Mulibinge Kaj and Prof. Alberto Lo Presti evoked the need to rediscover Europe as a space of spirituality, welcome and responsibility.
Prayer time in the Basilica Santa Maria in Aracoeli
The atmosphere became more intimate and profound with the ecumenical prayer in the nearby Basilica Santa Maria in Aracoeli, led by representatives and ministers of different Christian denominations.
From the biblical texts read by Orthodox, Protestant and Catholic voices, to the interdenominational prayers, from the songs of the ecumenical choir composed for the occasion to the evocative ‘Sign of Light’ brought by the young people, this moment bore witness to a possible spiritual unity that transcends borders and differences. At a time marked by fractures, wars and uncertainties, the message launched by the event is clear: building a Europe of peace, solidarity and justice is not only necessary, but also urgent.
The event culminated with an interfaith blessing and a choral song: a symbol of communion between peoples, languages and faiths, in the knowledge that Europe can only find itself ‘together’.
Together with representatives of the different Christian Churches, we gathered in a moment of intense spirituality to invoke peace, light and courage. A shared wish: that all men and women of goodwill may become true builders of bridges between peoples.
It was a simple but deeply meaningful meeting. In an atmosphere of fraternity and recollection, the Churches, Movements and Communities present raised their common prayer for Europe and for peace in the world.
During the service, a symbolic disc was hung for each country named in the prayer: a concrete gesture to represent the spiritual commitment to that nation. A small ritual, full of hope and solidarity, which took shape as the list of countries unfolded.
The evening began with a song from the Russian Orthodox Church and ended with a children’s choir from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
A moment that left its mark in the hearts of all participants: it reminded us that shared prayer can become the first step towards a more just and peaceful world.
On 6 May, in the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren, we took part in the usual Taizé prayer.
The prayer was for Europe, with about 50 people present: it was very solemn and ecumenical, with representatives from different Churches. The intentions were prepared and read by us, at the request by the young organisers. A young friend of our network, who is now a candidate for the national parliament, was also present.
We came from four Movements: Schoenstatt, Sant’Egidio, Chemin Neuf and Focolari.
