By Paolo Rappellino
Romano Prodi has dedicated his life to politics and to the service of the country: economist, minister, director of IRI, federation of the centre-left in the Ulivo, twice prime minister. As Prime Minister he brought Italy into Europe and then, as President of the European Commission, he led the debut of the euro, the enlargement to the East and the troubled drafting of the Constitution of Europe. Today, at 85 years old, no longer with public office or party cards in his pocket but with an extraordinary network of contacts all over the world, he continues to observe with interest and acumen what is happening in Italy and abroad.
Professor, a book of yours has just been published entitled The Duty of Hope. Why this title?
«Because things are bad. I have never seen such a hard time in my life. There are many wars going on, we have tensions between China and the United States and there is Europe that cannot find a soul. So we must react, we need – especially for young people – to hope for the future. But hope is not a passive attitude, we must build hope by having a vision and deciding where we want to go to try to save the acquisitions that have made Europe the land of solidarity rights and freedoms and to build a peaceful tomorrow ».
She is a believer even if she has never flaunted it. How much did faith count in your life choices, in your public career?
«It’s difficult to say if it counted, I can tell you that it was important for me. Faith is something that is given to you and that you must indulge in. Faith, for me, means hoping for something that comes later.”
You are mourning the death of your wife, Flavia. Does faith comfort you in dealing with lack? Do you think you’ll see her again one day?
«Oh, in dealing with lack, yes. Even if the pain of separation remains. I hope we see each other again. I believe in eternal life, but I don’t know what it will be like… because death is a mystery and eternal life is a mystery.”
Continues….
Read the complete interview with Romano Prodi by purchasing the issue of Credere on newsstands from Thursday 12 December and in distribution in the parish from Saturday 14 December. Or purchase a digital copy www.edicolasanpaolo.it/scheda/credere.aspx
• This one with Romano Prodi is part of Wayfarers of hopea series of interviews with personalities from the world of the Church, culture and social commitment, in preparation for the 2025 Jubilee. This is a multimedia project which, in addition to the report on Credere, also includes the television version of this interview which will be broadcast on Telenova (Channel 18 of digital terrestrial in Lombardy and eastern Piedmont) on Monday 16 December at 6.00 pm and Wednesday 18 December at 11.00 am. The video of all the interviews (among others, with Gemma Calabresi, Don Luigi Verdi, Father Antonio Spadaro and Sister Veronica Donatello) is also available on the Telenova App and website (www.telenova.it).
