Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Loppiano (Agenzia Fides) – Only a Europe that is united, beyond every barrier and nationalism can talk about brotherhood in the world. This is the spirit behind “Together for Europe,” the first national rally promoted by the Christian movements and associations, which will take place September 19-20 at the International Center in Loppiano (Florence). Today, there are over 1,000 participants signed up from 50 lay movements.
“Together for Europe” is an event that has a 10-year history of communion among movements and lay groups, not only Catholics and not only Italians, but also other Churches and European countries. The common effort is to contribute to the reviving of a Christian spirit in the Old Continent, so that the difficult path to union in Europe may unfold according to the visions of its Founding Fathers, as a family and brotherhood, not closed in on itself but open to the word, contributing to the unity of the human family. The idea, launched by Chiara Lubich in 2002, was soon supported by Italian Catholic movements and German Evangelical Lutherans.
The program for the event, entitled “In your Word we will walk together,” includes talks from several leaders of movements and communities, such as G. Paolo Ramonda (Pope John XXIII Community), Salvatore Martinez (Charismatic Community), Maria Voce Emmaus (Focolare Movement), Marco Impagliazzo (Sant’Egidio), Carlo and Maria Carla Volpini (Equipes Notre-Dame), Gerhard Pross (YMCA – Evangelical Church). There will be two round-table discussions on great challenges today: “Fragility and the Family” and “Economy and Poverty.” There will also be talks from experts and testimonies from the movements and assocations who are working on the front line in justice, the disabled, solidarity with immigrants, and a new economy at the service of man. There will also be musical performances, evening shows, and a choir formed by musicians and artists of various movements, all of which are an expression of the path of communion that has begun. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 17/9/2009)
