Mariano Fazio Opus Dei: On the Future of Christian Europe

The future of Christian Europe is in the hands of God and in our hands", said Msgr. Mariano Fazio Fernández during his visit at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin. Auxiliary Vicar of Opus Dei delivered a lecture "Secularisation and Christianity. A Challenge For Our Time.

"We live at a time of rapid and intense secularization, while individualism, hedonism, and relativism are diseases of a secular society" – pointed out Msgr. Mariano Fazio Fernández in Lublin. The lecturer reminded his listeners of the European roots. "Europe is Christian because of its history and identity. But its future is in God's hands, and at the same time in our hands" - he pointed out, indicating that secularization is the mainstream of modern culture. "There are two meanings of secularization. The first, which is very negative from the Christian point of view, is the expulsion of God from society and from our lives. But there is also a good meaning of secularization, which is the distinction between church and state", remarked the philosopher, saying that our task as Christians is to show everyone that ‘we are true Christians’ and that we are not ashamed of this.

To change the world, a Christian must know and love it as well as must understand modern culture. We must be open to dialogue, and our actions must reflect what we believe in, we must practice what we preach, because “contemporary humans listen more willingly to witnesses than to teachers” (Paul VI). Fr. Fazio stressed that it was his dream to be at a university where John Paul II himself was a lecturer for many years. As he indicated, Karol Wojtyła was one of the most eminent minds of the 20th century.

Msgr. Mariano Fazio Fernández is a doctor of philosophy, former Rector of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome and president of the Conference of Rectors of Pontifical Roman Universities. He is Auxiliary Vicar of the Personal Prelature of Opus Dei and the author of numerous books on contemporary society and the secularization processes.