The bishops apparently removed a sentence that said ordaining married men is not a solution to the priest shortage. In general, however, the most controversial items were watered down or eliminated. In his fatherly love, God denies no one this possibility, for he desires the full happiness of all. Hope flows from the risen Christ, the bishops said. Our life has meaning, communion is possible, diversity can become richness, and the power of the Kingdom is at work in history and helps to build the city of mankind.
Love gives an eternal value to human efforts.
Suffering becomes salvific, life will conquer death, creation will share in the glory of the children of God. The bishops pointed to signs of hope both in the church and in the broader European society. In Europe, the signs included openness of peoples to one another, reconciliation between traditional enemies, European unity and the emergence of a European consciousness, the growth of democracy and growing respect for human rights. The bishops seemed united in their support for European unity, a position seen here as significant in the face of recent gains by in both Austria and Switzerland by parties running on an anti-unification platform. The bishops also called upon Europeans to be committed to the welfare of the entire world.