Hundreds of European leaders will meet in the Vatican October 27-29, 2017 to reflect on the fundamental challenges facing the European project. The gathering is sponsored by COMECE, the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community, which appoints delegate bishops from the 28 member states of the European Union.
Pope Francis will address the participants on Saturday, October 28 to recall the commitment of the Church to this Peace project.
Cardinal Reinhard Marx, President of COMECE, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States of the Holy See, will brief media on Friday, October 27.
Rather than a congress, (Re)Thinking Europe will be a dialogue, a frank and open discussion between stakeholders willing to work for the common good and to put, the person, with its human dignity, at the center of public policies, according to organizers.
The dialogue will engage around 350 participants, from 28 delegations of all EU countries, including high-level EU politicians, cardinals, bishops, priests, ambassadors, academics, representatives of diverse Catholic organizations and movements and from other Christian denominations.
Participants will gather at New Synod Hall on the 27th and will continue dialoguing in workshops the following day, before joining the general debate ending with the Papal address on the 28th.
