Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna and President of the Italian Episcopal Conference, participated on February 28 in a public iftar with the Islamic community in the Italian city. A few days later, the cardinal expressed his concern over the absence of children enrolled in catechesis in several parishes in central Bologna.
A public iftar in central Bologna
According to the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Zuppi took part in the eighth edition of “Iftar Street”, an event held in Lucio Dalla Square that brings together citizens and members of the Islamic community to share the dinner that breaks the daily fast during Ramadan.
During his speech, the President of the Italian Episcopal Conference emphasized the importance of dialogue between believers in an international context marked by tensions and conflicts.
“Being believers means being brothers and dialoguing, walking together, learning to know and respect each other: that is what God wants for all people on earth,” Zuppi stated to those present.
The cardinal also lamented that the current international climate seems to be going “in the opposite direction to dialogue,” alluding to the increase in wars, discriminations, and distrust between communities.
The event was attended by the Mayor of Bologna, Matteo Lepore, former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, and the imam of the local Islamic community, Yassine Lafram.
Concern over catechesis in Bologna
A few days after the interreligious meeting, Zuppi addressed another issue that directly affects the pastoral life of the diocese. According to LifeSiteNews, the cardinal expressed his concern after it was learned that three parishes in central Bologna recorded no enrollments of children in catechesis.
These parishes serve an area where around 9,000 people live in one of Italy’s most populous cities.
The archbishop described the data as “very, very worrying,” although he attributed the phenomenon mainly to demographic and urban changes in the historic center.
Social changes in the city center
In statements to the newspaper Il Resto del Carlino, Zuppi explained that the transformation of Bologna’s center has significantly reduced the presence of resident families.
“When the parish priests go to bless the houses, they don’t find anyone,” the cardinal stated, alluding to the proliferation of offices, tourist apartments, and temporary accommodations.
According to his analysis, first the presence of university students displaced many families to other neighborhoods, and subsequently the expansion of tourist rentals further altered the social fabric of the urban center.