What is clearly noticeable in our society at the moment is an increasing division and uncertainty. Last Saturday at a meeting of the Catholic Forum, the Catholic Sunday Gazette and the Cusanus Academy in Bressanone, what society can learn from this painful experience was discussed.
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The social and economic ethicist Markus Schlagnitweit, the theologian and poverty researcher Magdalena Holztrattner, the professor for general and intercultural education Hans Karl Peterlini gave keynote speeches. In the afternoon, Jutta Wieser discussed with Bishop Ivo Muser, Governor Arno Kompatscher, the head of the Office for Marriage and Family of the Diocese of Bozen-Brixen Johanna Brunner and the entrepreneur Maria Niederstätter about what still holds society together. Promoting solidarity is one of the most urgent tasks of politics, civil society and the church at the end of the pandemic, it said in conclusion: Justice and charity are their faces.
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Confidence in politics is decreasing
According to the press release of the Cusanus Academy, the participants described a decreasing confidence in the coronavirus policy of the rulers, an increasingly aggressive rejection of measures taken and brutal language in the public discussion, which is an expression of a dangerous tendency to divide in our society. The experience of the pandemic has shown that the future cannot simply be a continuation of the existing and the previous. New and unpredictable things suddenly appear in our time and thwart planning and organization. Mankind has seen very clearly that even in our scientifically and technically well-organized world there is and cannot be complete security. There needs to be a priority option for the poor and the weak. Sustainability and social dialogue are political principles of action in the tradition of Catholic social teaching, said Bishop Ivo Muser. It could offer important orientation in view of the major areas of conflict. Governor Arno Kompatscher stated in the closing speech that he could only do his job in the overall context of sustainability. Civil society engagement and diverse opportunities to participate in social processes would strengthen identification and awareness of the shared responsibility for social coexistence, emphasized the office manager Johanna Brunner and the entrepreneur Maria Niederstätter.
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Thinking about education
The professor of educational sciences Hans Karl Peterlini looked at the pandemic-related situation of children and adolescents: The experiences would prompt new thinking about education and learning, a learning that is “ignited by the world and does not stop at an instruction about it “. Learning experiences should also be made outside the school walls in non-pedagogically arranged but in real situations. It is about learning “that challenges all the senses and enables adolescents to experience that it really matters to them, that challenges them to venture into unknown territory in order to find their place in the world”.
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Discussion is poisoned
During the afternoon discussion, it was pointed out that the public discourse had reached a new, poisoned climax. Social breaks and deep-seated ideological differences, discouragement and insecurity made it difficult to reach social understanding on a joint path out of the corona pandemic.
Ivo Muser, Arno Kompatscher, Johanna Brunner and Maria Niederstätter emphasized that democracy thrives on controversy and hard disputes in the matter. However, rational discussion requires more effort than emotional blame. It remains the responsibility of politics and their elected representatives, but also of all persons of good will, not to let the conversation with the discouraged and dissenters break off where there is still a small common ground for a conversation. For the social path after the pandemic, it is essential to work on a moderate and constructive culture of discussion.
The chairman of the Catholic Forum, Franz Tutzer, emphasized that this conference was a component of the constructive public dialogue, of which many more are needed.
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