Between 9 and 12 June 2024 took place the meeting of the bishops & national directors for safeguard of creation of the European bishops’ conferences. The meeting, held at the Catholic Academy of Bavaria, Munich, was attended by 31 representatives of the Bishops’ Conferences including expert speakers from across the European Continent.
On the first morning, H.E. Msgr. Bohdan Dzyurakh, President of the CCEE Social Pastoral Care Commission and Head of the CCEE Safeguard of the Creation Section, welcomed the participants to the meeting entitled “the cry of creation as a challenge for an ecological conversion”. He remarked “Today…our great task and vocation is to unite our efforts to protect and care for nature, our common home, which the Creator has given and entrusted to us as the place for the fulfilment of our human and Christian responsibility”, and he continued, “how to assume and how best to fulfil this responsibility of ours today will be the subject of our reports, discussions, conversations and prayers”.
The conference was attended by many renowned speakers from various countries and realities in Europe. The first of which was Prof. Andreas Löschel of Ruhr-University in Bochum who spoke on “The facts of climate change and the transformation to a post-fossil society as a challenge for the churches”. He was followed immediately by Prof. Markus Vogt from the Ludwig-Maximilian University LMU in Munich who reported on “The cry of creation as a sign of the times”, whereas the report on “Ecological conversation and transformation” was entrusted to Prof. Cezary Kościelniak of the Adam Mickiewicz University UAM in Poznań.
The afternoon session focussed on Ecological dialogue and cooperation. A round table of discussion took place on the topic “The ecumenical environmental work of the Churches in Europe” between Dr. Stefan Einsiedel, from the Centre for Social and Development Studies in Munich School of Philosophy of the Jesuit Order, Ven. Stephen Taylor, the Moderator of ECEN and Ms. Laura Morosini, the Europe Programmes Director of the Laudato si’ Movement.
On all of the presentations, the participants had the opportunity to debate in plenary and address their questions to the speakers.
The evening concluded with Holy Mass and a dinner reception at Suresnes Castle offered by H. Em. Cardinal Marx, Archbishop of Munich and Freising during which the Cardinal expressed his support for the work of the gathering and stressed the importance of caring for the creation, as our very future hangs on this question.
The second morning was initiated by Dr. Tomás Insua, from the Laudato si’ Research Institute, and Dr. Tebaldo Vinciguerra, of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development who spoke on the legacy of Laudato si’ and Laudate Deum respectively.
Following more lively discussion between the participants, a round table took place focussing on “Safeguarding of Creation and Peace: the risks and damage to people and the environment caused by conflicts and wars” conducted by H.E. Msgr. Bohdan Dzyurakh, Dr. Tebaldo Vinciguerra and Prof. William Barbieri, Expert for environment & peace ethics at the Catholic University of America, Washington DC.
The participants also provided national reports from the various Bishops’ Conferences and the activity taking place regarding the safeguard of the creation. One issue was at the centre of the considerations, referring to the need of deepening the theological understanding of evangelisation in relation to the safeguarding of creation.
The meeting concluded with final remarks from H.E. Msgr. Bohdan Dzyurakh, before departing together for the Greek-Catholic Cathedral in Munich for a “prayer for peace” led by the aforementioned Bishop and attended by parishoners of the Cathedral and a pilgrimage to the ancient Monastery of Benediktbeuern, south of Munich.