2023-07-21 16:13:00
It was the new president of the Center for Secular Action of the Province of Luxembourg, Vincent Thomas de Nothomb, who had the honor of welcoming the participants and introducing the theme chosen for this celebration of our national day.
Three years ago, the multi-convictional working group decided together to organize this celebration in different places, in an alternating way, so that each citizen feels an integral part of this official celebration, regardless of their faith or lack of faith.
Last year, we found ourselves in the oldest and perhaps the most beautiful synagogue in the country. This year, it was the turn of the non-denominational community to welcome in a neutral place, but steeped in history and a symbol of democracy, namely the hall of the palace which once hosted the assize trials.
Each convictional community (Israelite, Lutheran, Muslim, Catholic religions) was able to express itself or illustrate through a reading, the subject chosen together “Less material goods, more fraternal ties”.
The provincial secular movement is particularly happy to participate in a working group which collectively decides to deal with a particularly important societal subject on this national holiday during this official ceremony.
This demonstrates the collective respect for the principles of freedom, equality and fraternity since each and everyone was able to express themselves here at the palace freely, on an equal footing and in respectful listening to the other.
The axis “Fewer material goods“refers to excessive consumerism and the impact this phenomenon has on our environment and on increasing social inequalities.
For Vincent Thomas, “each community can build or must build spiritual axes that accompany the essential ecological transition and the improvement of social justice”.
Humility and sobriety
“As the various interventions have shown, on this ground, secularism and religion can move forward together, expressed at the conclusion of the ceremony, Dean Pascal Roger. The time may have come to rediscover two values that no longer seem to be part of the contemporary lexicon: humility and sobriety. Humility requires an awareness of one’s condition and one’s place among others and the universe.”
Why mention sobriety? As in a sibling, we cannot monopolize all the family resources for ourselves. We must accept an equitable distribution of goods; which requires everyone to set limits. As Sr. Dorothy Stang, martyr of the fight for the Amazon and its poor, said: “You shouldn’t ask yourself what I want, but what I need.”
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