VATICAN CITY - The Pope is sending a message to participants in the Alpine Forum, which runs until 30 August, sharing his concern about the growing spread of such movements that threaten to overshadow the weakest. "Societies in Europe are called to seek ways and means to reduce polarization within themselves and to remain open to the outside world."

Antonella Palermo - Vatican City

Curbing populist impulses in Europe and any polarisation that distracts from the Union's core values. This is at the heart of poselství Pope Francis' address to the participants of the European Forum in Alpbach (17-30 August), a platform where young people from the old continent and around the world come together to share their thoughts and actions with leading thinkers and analysts from politics, business, civil society and culture.

Populist movements marginalise the weak

With regard to the purpose of the forum - to channel the ideas of a strong and democratic Europe - Francis outlines some reasons to be concerned about the fate of the continent, which, according to him, is experiencing "a time in which various populist movements are enjoying great popularity". Economic and political factors are at the root of this increasingly popular trend, according to the Pope.

[...] V Evropě se v důsledku této populistické 'vlny' vytratily některé ideály a některé zásady, týkající se chování vůči slabším členům společnosti, byly odsunuty na druhou kolej.

Let Europe not lose the universal values of fraternity

The Pope therefore asks the question concerning the principles of human dignity and fraternity, "linked to the outline of the Gospel" - where are they heading? Bergoglio's words are, on the one hand, words of reassurance, because even in a secularized context that "should not surprise or frighten", the Church can continue to act ("God is present there too"); on the other hand, they are words of challenge:

S obnovenou motivací se jako křesťané snažíme přinášet bohatství katolického sociálního učení s jeho nárokem na univerzálnost. Také Evropská unie má od svého založení univerzalistické rysy a je třeba doufat, že je neztratí. [...] Společnosti v Evropě jsou vyzývány, aby hledaly způsoby a prostředky, jak snížit polarizaci uvnitř sebe samých a zůstat otevřené okolnímu světu.

vaticannews.va / gnews.cz-roz_07