Criticism of the new “Western” authoritarianism is present in the texts of John Paul II in the last years of his life (vide: the dispute over so-called reproductive rights in Beijing and Cairo, the dispute over the preamble of the EU Constitutional Treaty). Of course, no less important is the question of what makes the opposition to these tendencies still somewhat successful in some Western countries (vide the decisions of constitutional courts in the US and Poland regarding guarantees of the right to life)?

On the other hand, it is a question about the accuracy of the papal analysis. For maybe some of the assumptions were wrong. Maybe "authentic democracy" is a utopian dream? Maybe the Pope was simply wrong, for example, in supporting the process of European integration. Maybe the hope for a "free economy" version of capitalism (CA) ultimately boils down to supporting an "economy that kills" (EG). Maybe hope is then to be placed in a "new paradigm of Catholicism," breaking with John Paul II’s interpretation of moral theology and social teaching.

Or perhaps John Paul II's social theory works and works all too well? Ultimately, the course of evolution of democratic politics developed "as if there were no God" is proceeding, almost without deviation, along the trajectory outlined by St. John Paul II: the foundations of benevolent politics are being systematically and consistently undermined in most European countries and the EU itself. It can be said that just as real socialism was "in a way a concrete and institutional realization of Leo XIII's predictions" [CA 12], the state of contemporary politics is becoming an increasingly tangible realization of John Paul II's warnings against politics based on relativism. Europe, in its EU form, with increasing secularization, is making a political and anthropological choice in which the understanding of "the dignity of the person as fully revealed by the mystery of the Incarnate Word" becomes not only incomprehensible but also contradictory to European values [!]. Perhaps what has been insufficiently fulfilled are the hopes that the Holy Pontiff placed in the faithful, in the shepherds of the Church and people of goodwill calling them to go through and, after overthrowing communism, overthrow the flawed paradigm of Western politics as well?

We invite you to reflect together on these and other subjects, ultimately related to the issue of the relevance of the "question of God" to the possibility of a politics and economy benevolent to man. Sister Prof. Helen Alford OP and Prof. George Weigel, keynote speakers at the upcoming conference, have agreed to provide special assistance in this search.