ROME, Italy.
With the theme "The joy of the Gospel, a missionary joy..." (Evangelii Gaudium, 21) the Third World Congress of ecclesial movements and new communities was held in Rome from November 20-22. Maite Uribe and Camino Cañón participated in it.
The President of the Teresian Association and consultant to the Pontifical Council for the Laity, Maite Uribe, was invited and Camino Cañón, President of the Forum of the Laity of Spain, accompanied her. The Congress was attended by 280 people from 40 countries and from about 100 ecclesial realities, most born after Vatican II. They spent three intense days of listening, sharing, and shared prayer.
Cardinal Ryłko, President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, in his welcome statement, said that the development of Movements and New Communities has affected the life of the Church very deeply since Vatican II. He echoed the words of Pope Francis when he invited the participants to respond to his invitation to promote a dynamic "going out," attentive to all forms of suffering and poverty in our world.
Audience with Pope Francis
On Saturday morning Pope Francis met with the participants and addressed a few words on three points: to maintain the freshness of the charism, respect the freedom of each person, and always seek communion.
The Pope invited them to persevere in the freshness of the charism, always renewing the "first love" (Apoc.2, 4) overcoming the temptation to remain still by setting ways to do things that provide security and then end up being sterile. He encouraged everyone to respond with renewed enthusiasm to the Lord's call.
Regarding the second point, he spoke on how to welcome and accompany men and women today, especially young people (EG105-106). He invited them to resist the temptation to direct them without allowing them to grow into genuine maturity. He recalled that Christian education requires patient support and being able to wait for the right moment for everyone, just as the Lord does with each of us.
With respect to the third point, Pope Francis spoke of communion as the "most precious gift, the Seal of Holy Spirit." He quoted the words of Evangelii Gaudium "Unity prevails over the conflict" (E.G. 226-230) and reminded them that real communion cannot exist in movements or new communities unless they are integrated into the great communion of the Church. He made a call to coordinate efforts to care for the frail and wounded, particularly since the mentality of globalization places the consumer at the center and neglects God and those values that are essential for life. He finished his speech recognizing the fruit, which has already been given to the Church by groups represented there and invited them to seek the intercession of Mary.
The Program
The topics covered the first day, masterfully exposed, were titled Missionary Conversion: go out of oneself and be challenged by the signs of the times, the kerygma and evangelize by attraction: the joy of being God's people. Professor Fabrice Hadjadj, from Fribourg (Switzerland), said that our time in the West is no longer the era of ideology but of technology and made an interpretation of the implications of this as well as of the opportunities available to Christians to spread hope. Father Raniero Cantalamessa, O.F.M. Cap wondered what those who call themselves believers believe in and distinguished between the proclamation of the Good News, which brings about faith, and doctrinal teachings and moral principles. Cardinal Marc Ouellet, PSS, in a context of ecclesiology of communion and with his experience in the diocese of Quebec, spoke of how to integrate the various movements and charismatic communities into the local Churches.
Dr. Guzmán Carriquiry, vice-secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Laity for many years and now vice president of the Commission for Latin America, initiated the second day. In his speech he presented the journey of the ecclesial movements as a time of grace in the pontificate of Pope Francis. In this context, he said: "the first question we have to ask ourselves is: What is the Spirit of God saying to us? What is it that He asks us to change through this new pontificate? What are his words and gestures saying specifically to our movement, our community? If we do not seriously ask ourselves these questions, this could this be a sign to worry about our staying glued to our security and ignoring the surprises of the Spirit."
The work continued with a panel titled "A people with many faces." Daniela Martucci, Mons. Dominique Rey, P. Gianfranco Ghirlanda, and Anna Pelli highlighted some specific areas in which movements can live the pastoral and missionary conversion Pope Francis calls us to.
On that afternoon there was another panel on "Ongoing conversion to rediscover the joy of evangelization." Topics such as the revolution of tenderness and the art of accompaniment were developed by psychiatrist Dr. Tony Anatrella and Prof. Cenccini. Other speakers were the president of the Fraternity of St. Charles Borromeo (CL), now Bishop, His Excellency Massimo Camisasca, FSCB who spoke on, "priests for a missionary ministry" and Daniela Sirone, from the Community of Sant Egidio, who explained beautifully how we can promote mutual listening to the young and old.
On the third day there was time for two speakers. Prof. Mary Healy, Ph.D. in Sacred Scripture, made a beautiful and profound presentation on the feminine brain in evangelization. She centered on expressions and gestures found in Jesus' encounters with women, to recognize the contribution of women in evangelization processes and their ability to lead them. An extensive presentation on the social impact of the kerygma, conducted by Cardinal Peter Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council "Justice and Peace", preceded the closing remarks by the authorities of the Pontifical Council for the Laity.
The celebration of the III Congress has highlighted the dynamism of the Spirit that promotes a wide variety of ways to offer the joy of the Gospel in our societies and the generosity of women and men, young and old, in accepting his invitation to join others and make a journey of communion.
Camino Cañón