Good morning to you all, and welcome to the Vatican.

I am pleased to have this opportunity to greet your Delegation on the occasion of your participation in the ECR Group Conference being held during these days here in Rome.

First, I would like to thank you for your work in serving not only those you represent in the European Parliament but all the people in your communities. In fact, to hold any high office within society comes with the responsibility to advance the common good. I especially encourage you, therefore, never to lose sight of the forgotten ones, those on the margins, those whom Jesus Christ called “the least” among us (cf. Lk 9:48). 

As democratically elected officials, you reflect a range of views that sit within a wider spectrum of diverse opinions. Indeed, one of the essential purposes of a parliament is to enable such views to be expressed and discussed. Yet the mark of any civilized society is that differences are debated with courtesy and respect, for the ability to disagree, listen attentively, and even to enter into dialogue with those whom we may regard as opponents, bears witness to our reverence for the God-given dignity of all men and women. I invite you, then, to look to Saint Thomas More, the patron of politicians, whose wisdom, courage and defence of conscience are a timeless inspiration for those who seek to foster the wellbeing of society.

In this regard, I readily echo the appeal of my recent predecessors that European identity can only be understood and promoted in reference to its Judeo-Christian roots. The purpose of protecting the religious legacy of this continent, however, is not simply to safeguard the rights of its Christian communities, nor is it primarily a question of preserving particular social customs or traditions, which in any case vary from place to place, and throughout history. It is above all a recognition of fact. Moreover, everyone is a beneficiary of the contribution that the members of the Christian communities have made and continue to make for the good of European society. We need only call to mind some of the important developments in Western civilization, especially the cultural treasures of its towering cathedrals, sublime art and music, and advances in science, not to mention the growth and spread of the universities. These developments create an intrinsic link between Christianity and European history, a history which should be cherished and celebrated.

In a particular way, I think of the rich ethical principles and patterns of thought that are the intellectual patrimony of Christian Europe. These are essential for safeguarding the divinely bestowed rights and inherent worth of every human person, from conception to natural death. They are likewise fundamental for responding to the challenges presented by poverty, social exclusion, economic deprivation, as well as by the ongoing climate crisis, violence and war. To ensure that the voice of the Church, not least through her social doctrine, continues to be heard, is not about the restoration of a past epoch, but of guaranteeing that key resources for future cooperation and integration are not lost.

Here, I would reiterate the importance of what Pope Benedict XVI identified as the necessary dialogue between “the world of reason and the world of faith – the world of secular rationality and the world of religious belief” (Address to Civil Society, Westminster Hall, London, 17 September 2010). Indeed, this public conversation, in which politicians have a highly significant role, is vital for respecting the specific competence of each, as well as for supplying what the other needs, namely a mutually “purifying” role for ensuring that neither falls prey to distortions (cf. ibid.). My prayer is that you will play your own part in engaging positively in this important dialogue, not only for the sake of the people of Europe, but of our entire human family.

With these few thoughts, I assure you of a remembrance in my payers, and I invoke upon you and your families God’s blessings of wisdom, joy and peace. Thank you.