“You have my support”, stated Pope Leo XIV, receiving in audience the Presidency of the Council of the European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE) in the private Library of the Apostolic Palace, on Saturday 28 June 2025. The CCEE has worked in close contact with Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, at that time Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, and who participated at numerous CCEE meetings. However, this time was the first official meeting with the CCEE following his election as Pope.
The delegation was led by the CCEE President, H.E. Msgr. Gintaras GRUŠAS, who outlined the CCEE’s upcoming commitments in Europe to the Holy Father. Various topics were discussed during the meeting, including ecumenical dialogue, synodal efforts, the focus on evangelisation in Europe as well as the commitment to peace.
Archbishop Grušas informed the Holy Father of the CCEE’s initiatives in the ecumenical field, particularly regarding the signing of the Charta Oecumenica, originally published 25 years ago, which sets out pathways forward in ecumenical dialogue and the search for Christian unity, especially in Europe.
The CCEE delegation also presented its activities related to the Synod on Synodality and its implementation phase. According to Archbishop Grušas, this presents various challenges, as the European continent is very diverse, both linguistically and culturally. The Pope was also informed about the upcoming CCEE Plenary Assembly in October, which will focus on evangelisation and mission in Europe. “The Holy Father expressed his support for us and urged us to continue on this path. We have also expressed our support for the Petrine ministry that he has assumed”, added the Archbishop.
They also addressed together their common concerns about war and conflict Europe and the Middle East, focusing on the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. “Pope Leo XIV encouraged us to work for peace and also that we pay attention to those in need”, remarked Grušas, joining the Pope’s call to defend peace and the poor rather than military expenses.
The Christian faith and evangelisation in Europe was another important point of the discussion. According to the CCEE Vice-President, H. Em. Card. Ladislav NEMET, despite a decline in participation in some European regions, “most European countries are enjoying a reawakening of religious sense”, including a “growth of religious sentiment among the younger generations”, particularly evident in Western, Central and Eastern Europe.
The CCEE delegation was composed of:
H.E. Msgr. Gintaras Grušas, President
H.Em. Card. Ladislav Nemet, Vice President
Rev. Antonio Ammirati, General Secretary
Rev. Charbel Bteich, Vice General Secretary
Foto: Vatican Media