Archbishop calls for divine intervention during EU crisis

“The construction of a European union of countries, people and nations [...] can become permanent not on the basis of a joint economy and foreign policy, but mainly on the basis of spiritual unity and common values," Archbishop Jozef Kowalczyk said in his homily to a congregation including Poland’s foreign minister Radek Sikorski.

The archbishop also gave his blessing to Poland’s EU presidency, which began on 1 July.

“We commend unto God in our prayers .[…] the Polish presidency in the EU Council. It is a great undertaking, challenge and opportunity for our executive powers, and beside them, our whole society,” he said.

The call for divine intervention comes as the European single currency, the euro, took another hit on markets, Monday.

The euro fell to an eight-month low against the dollar this morning on doubts over whether a credible plan to rescue the region from the debt crisis can be put together quickly enough.

The euro fell to 1.3360 USD and 101.946 to the Japanese yen.

Currency investors were unconvinced about latest plans by EU leaders to strengthen the European Financial Stability Fund and other and other measures to bail out debt-crippled economies in Greece, Portugal and Ireland. (pg)