VATICAN - “The Church needs Catholic Action” the Pope writes in a message to participants at International Congress of the Catholic Action Association

Wednesday, 1 September 2004

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides)- “Today once again I would like to say: the Church has need of Catholic Action! Remembering must be merely a nostalgic returning to the past it should stimulate new awareness of the precious gift the Holy Spirit has given the Church by extending the “plantatio” of the Association in local Churches of many other countries”. Pope John Paul II said this in a message addressed to the International Congress on the Association of Catholic Action which opened yesterday in Rome. “The time has come for the new impulse testified by your multiform reality” the Pope writes to 200 delegates from all over the world. “There are many signs of hope for a kairos of a new springtime for the Gospel! This great responsibility which involves all of you with your pastors and indeed the whole Church, requires the humble and courageous decision to “start anew from Christ” in the awareness of having the support of the ever-present power of the Spirit”.
The Holy Father underlines the important role of the laity in the Church and in society: “Every Christian is called to testify how life changes thanks to grace and moved by charity” recomposing in everyday life the separation between Gospel and life. This is why Pope John Paul II recalls that “Catholic Action has always been and still is a breeding ground of formation for the laity who, illuminated by the Church’s Social Teaching, are in front line to protect the sacred gift of life, safeguard the dignity of the human person, to achieve freedom to choose education, promote an authentic understanding of marriage and the family, in works of charity for the poor, to promote peace and justice and to apply the principles of subsidiarity and solidarity to social realities inter-active among themselves”.
“I know your Congress, started in Rome, will make a pilgrimage to Loreto and culminate on Sunday 5 September in the square in front of the Shrine with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist during which I will have the joy of inscribing in the book of the beatified members of Catholic Action who lived as convincing models of loyalty to the Gospel”, the Pope concluded.
The persons to be beatified are two Italian members of Catholic Action Alberto Marvelli and Pina Suriano, and Rev. Pietro Torres, who was Catholic Action Assistant for some years. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 1/9/2004 righe 35 parole 420)


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