Pictured in the iconic bell tower of St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church, Lombard St, Galway, are (L/R): EPP President Manfred Weber; Tánaiste and Leader of Fine Gael Simon Harris; Seán Kelly MEP; and John Kennedy, Operations Manager & Events Officer at St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church. Over 100 leading EU law and policy experts were in the West of Ireland recently for the European People’s Party (EPP) Group’s Summer University – the group to which Fine Gael belongs. Fine Gael MEP for the North West, Maria Walsh, said she was delighted to welcome the group to the West of Ireland and particularly on a special visit to Knock Shrine.
“It is a really special occasion to welcome our EPP Group colleagues to the West of Ireland, alongside my colleagues Seán Kelly, Nina Carberry and Regina Doherty. We enjoyed a visit to Knock Shrine, on a beautiful day in Co. Mayo, where MEPs learned about the history of Knock and took time to reflect on the values of Christian democracy,” she said.
Seán Kelly MEP (Ireland South), leader of Fine Gael in the European Parliament, commented: “Christianity is a fundamental part of our Irish and European history and culture, and Knock Shrine beautifully illustrates such important heritage… For the future of Europe and amidst such global turmoil and conflict, it is essential that politicians show leadership and responsibility. Preserving our heritage and passing on these values to the next generation is also vital.”
The EPP Group MEPs were joined by the Leader of Fine Gael, Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Simon Harris, and Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee, during the discussions.
Maria Walsh went on to say that “In today’s increasingly fractured world, it is very important that we connect with our Christian democratic roots and continue our work to promote EU values.”
EPP President Manfred Weber MEP, from Germany said: “We are Christian Democrats. Together in the European People’s Party, we stand for the Christian values that have shaped Europe’s history and continue to guide its future. Our way of doing politics is based on truth and common sense. Our task is to preserve and strengthen our European way of life by building a true People’s Europe – one rooted in human dignity, solidarity, freedom, and responsibility. These values are the foundation of Europe’s identity. Without them, our European way of life would lose its meaning, and Europe would risk losing its soul.”
Željana Zovko MEP, from Croatia, co-chair of the EPP Group and co-chair of the EPP Working Group on ‘Intercultural and Religious Dialogue’, also visited Knock Shrine, and said, “I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Knock Shrine, a beautiful part of Ireland and a deeply spiritual place. Visiting Ireland’s largest shrine offered a meaningful moment of reflection and contemplation at the beginning of our visit to the region… At a time of growing global uncertainty and conflict, places such as Knock remind us of the importance of dialogue, reconciliation and mutual understanding between peoples and faiths.
“In our work in the EPP Group, I believe we have much work to do. Through the EPP Group’s Working Group on Intercultural and Religious Dialogue, we encourage dialogue between religious communities. We must also use foreign policy to enable religious communities to fund and build schools and support charitable work in third countries. Interreligious dialogue must be taken into account when discussing peace and promoting tolerance between faith communities. We must emphasise that a key instrument for fostering interreligious dialogue is here within the European People’s Party,” said MEP Željana Zovko.