Cardinal Warns EU: Discrimination Against Christians Feeds ‘Populist Parties’

ROME — The head of the European Bishops’ Conferences (COMECE) warned EU politicians this weekend that belittling Christians only serves to drive them toward populist parties.

Discriminating against Christians and relegating religion to the private sphere is not “a politically prudent move because this attitude can push Catholics towards populist parties,” said Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, president of COMECE and a progressive.

The Jesuit cardinal was replying to a question on “inclusive” communication guidelines drafted by the European Commissioner for Equality, Helena Dalli of Malta, which recommended eliminating the use of Christian-specific language such as “Merry Christmas,” replacing it with “Happy Holidays,” and referring to the Christmas holidays as the “winter break.”

The style guide, titled “European Commission Guidelines for Inclusive Communication,” stipulated language to be used by Commission employees for all communications including press releases, social media posts, speeches, and training materials.

Ms. Dalli, an LGBT activist, faced such an outcry that she was forced to retract the guidelines 24 hours after they were made public, insisting they were just a “work in progress.”

In his response, Cardinal Hollerich insisted that Pope Francis was right to describe this attitude as “anachronistic,” because “today in Europe we have a multicultural identity and also a multireligious identity.”

“The answer to having many religions in Europe is not relegating religions to the private area but giving all religions access to the public sphere,” he asserted. “Not naming Christmas but using other idioms such as a winter holidays means putting into practice an unacceptable discrimination against Christians.”

“It is also a politically imprudent move because it pushes Catholics towards populist parties,” Hollerich said. “Rather, we must encourage politicians not to be afraid of policies inspired by the Christian faith.”

“If Catholics see these politicians, I think they won’t fall into the trap of populist politicians who use the name of Christianity for their ideologies,” he concluded.

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