Brussels, 03/12/2002 (Agence Europe) - At their autumn plenary meeting, in Brussels on 28 and 29 November, Bishops members of COMECE (Committee of Episcopates of the European Community) called on the EU to recognise the specific contribution of religion in the definition of values in Europe, and explained to President Prodi their expectations of the European Convention. "The role of the Church in the future European Constitution is important", Mgr. Josef Homeyer, COMECE president, told the press, stressing that freedom of religion had to be "guaranteed at European level", and that "reference to God must be enshrined in the European Constitution". "It is a question of European memory, the European spirit", Mgr. Homeyer stated. The Bishops stressed that Mr. Prodi had proven to be "very open" to such a reference to God, which is enshrined in the preamble to the Polish Constitution (the draft constitution by the EPP component in the Convention is based on this preamble: see EUROPE of 13 November, p.5). The Bishops, moreover, stipulate in a note that their proposal of mentioning religious heritage in the future Constitutional Treaty has no relation with Turkey's candidacy and does not rule out recognition of the contribution of Islam to European civilisation, and that "religion must not be used to exclude a State from the EU".