Europe is immersed in an unprecedented demographic winter, with a bleak outlook and a catastrophic future, according to the Institute for Family Policies (IFP) in Brussels, Belgium, which presented a report to the European Parliament on 11 November, 2009.

            According to the report, “the aging population, critical birthrate, escalating abortions, the collapse of marriage, the explosion in family breakups and the emptying of homes are the main problems of Europeans.”

            “Europe is at an historic crossroads: It either makes a real and integral pledge for the family, maternity and childhood, or maintains the insufficient aid that has caused the present bleak outlook with catastrophic prospects in the near future,” said Eduardo Hertfelder, president of the Institute, during the presentation.

            “The data show how the indicators of population, birthrate, marriages, family and home breakups have worsened over the last 28 years. People who are older than 65 already outnumber, by more than 6.5 million, children under age 14, and every year fewer children are born.”

            “Moreover, according to the IFP, there is “a collapse of marriages, with increasingly fewer marriages and more broken ones—one million divorces a year—and with homes being emptied; two out of every three European homes have no children.”

            Moreover, “Europe increasingly allocates less money to the family: aid destined to families not only has fallen by up to 2.1% of the GNP over the last 10 years, but in addition it has diminished its weight in relation to social expenses, scarcely reaching one euro per person.” (Zenit.org, Nov. 12, 2009)

Continued attack on Christianity

            Meanwhile, Europe’s ruling and intellectual classes continue their war on Christianity. While Pope Benedict calls for European Catholics to shore up and defend Europe’s Christian heritage, the bureaucrats, judges and politicians continue their drive to remove Christianity from sight and influence.

            In an address to the new ambassador for the Commission of European Communities, the Pope underlined the importance of Europe’s recognition of the Christian roots of its values, lest “its model of civilization be eroded, bit by bit. (Zenit.org, 20 Oct, 2009). He stated that the shared values of the member states of the European Union are “the fruit of a long and tortuous history, in which Christianity has played a major role …These common values form a coherent whole that is ordered and articulated, historically from a precise anthropological vision.”  The Pope then asks if Europe can omit or forget these values that “have revealed to man his eminent dignity …”(ibid, 19 Oct. 2009).

            In an earlier article, The London Telegraph questioned whether the European Commission’s new Equal treatment directive might be “an instrument of oppression” aimed at the Catholic Church and other religious groups, submitting them to lawsuits by various opposition groups (The Wanderer, 13 Aug. 2009).

Crucifixes banned from schools in Italy

            On November 3, 2009 the 7 judges of the European Court of Rights and Freedoms unanimously ruled that crucifixes in public school classrooms are in violation of students’ right to religious freedom. The case had been launched by an atheist mother, who, having had her case thrown out of court in Italy, appealed to the European Court, protesting that the crucifix in her children’s school in Italy violated their right to religious freedom.

            All members of the European Union must adhere to the decisions of the European Court. In this case, it could, in effect, cause the removal of all religious symbols from the public sphere in all countries  which are EU members. Neil Addison, an anti-discrimination law expert told LifeSiteNews.com, 9 Nov. 2009) that “if the ruling is not overturned on appeal, then Italy cannot simply ignore the ruling. The effects will be profound, since the Lisbon Treaty in effect incorporates European Convention Rights into EU law.” Lisbon Treaty’s Declaration 17 clearly states that the EU has primacy over the laws of individual member states.

The Vatican responded “with shock and sadness” to the ruling. And a polling of Italians, found that 84 percent oppose the ruling (even as 68 percent of this poll are not practising Catholics.) The Italian government has also come out against the ruling; it sees the display of crucifixes and other religious symbols as part of Italy’s history, culture and tradition.

Other European countries such as Greece and Poland have also expressed their disagreement with the ruling. Both countries indicated that they will oppose the ruling.

Canadian commentator Rex Murphy ridiculed the EU decision his Globe and Mail column (Nov. 7, 2009). He stated  that “faith, at the public level, is being actively pushed away, visited with dismissive scorn.” He wondered if Dan Brown was part of the European Court decision. Complaining about crucifixes in Italy “is like going to Newfoundland and complaining about wharves.” He noted that the anti-crucifix ruling coincided with a U.K. court decision that gives climate change beliefs the same legal status as religion.

In a Zenit article (12 Nov. 2009), Elizabeth Levy chillingly warns that although most Europeans see the EU as “a gravy train leading its members into greater prosperity,” that prosperity does not come free. “Europeans may have unwittingly sold their souls.”

The Italian government plans to appeal the EU decision. Christians throughout Europe should tell the Court to go fly a kite. Greece and Poland have already indicated they strenuously object.