PARTICIPANTS
We foresee that about 150 Catholic Action leaders, together with assistant priests and bishops, from the countries where Catholic Action is present or where we have contacts, can meet in Rome in presence with the members of the 2017-2022 Secretariat, and that many other leaders and friends can connect online

OPEN PROBLEMS
We also share our preoccupations caused especially by the still ongoing pandemic, by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which has international economic consequences and also caused by the increased costs and problems of air travel.

We have sent out some requests for economic support and depending on the responses we will be able to help the representatives of many countries with economic difficulties.

PRAYER
Let us prepare our meeting by walking together united in prayer: it is the first contribution we can ask from everyone, from children to the elderly.

BIBLE TEXT OF REFERENCE: THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
Together with prayer we can envisage the continuous reading (personally, in groups) of the Acts of the Apostles from which our journey as a Church began. And we are called to continue it. (cf Pope Francis 18th September 2021)

Provisional programme (August 2022) and objectives of the days

The first day is intended to promote the meeting, the mutual knowledge among the representatives of the countries.
We propose a “Public” moment with official speeches, with the participation of countries and with a reflection on the Magisterium of Pope Francis to AC and FIAC (specifically in 2017 and 2021) with a round table discussion.

The second day fully takes on the theme of the conference with a series of interventions (experiences and proposed testimonies) prepared during the continental meetings using the method indicated by Pope Francis for the Synod on Synodality: meet, listen, discern. On the one hand, we want to highlight and share the foundations of our commitment rooted in a process of integral and communitarian formation, enlightened and guided by the Word of God, and on the other hand to combine some key words such as fraternity dialogue peace social friendship in relation to the various contexts in which we live.

The third day, which will see us in St. Peter’s Square for the Angelus, continues with work by groups in view of the next four years and with the statutory moment that will define the five countries of the FIAC Secretariat 2022- 2026 (8th Ordinary Assembly of IFCA). The aim is to identify priorities together.

Before the conclusion, a speech from Jerusalem where we hope to go on pilgrimage in 2023, resuming contacts with many parish groups to walk together in that Holy Land, in that city that as Christians we are called to rediscover as Mother Church.

ONLINE ITINERARY TOWARDS THE ASSEMBLY
From mid-September to the end of October
-Continental AND/OR regional meetings
-Webinar 31 October in collaboration with the Foundation Catholic Action School of Holiness PIO XI
-Meetings with individual countries

This associative appointment confirms our commitment to live fully our vocation as lay people in the Church and in the world as  association gymnasium of synodality and of social friendship

In all continents, at all ages, we seek to bring our contribution to a more human, more just world by building day by day experiences of universal brotherhood with the model of the polyhedron …. which reflects the convergence of all its parts, each of which preserves its distinctiveness. Pastoral and political activity alike seek to gather in this polyhedron the best of each. There is a place for the poor and their culture, their aspirations and their potential. Even people who can be considered dubious on account of their errors have something to offer which must not be overlooked. It is the convergence of peoples who, within the universal order, maintain their own individuality; it is the sum total of persons within a society which pursues the common good, which truly has a place for everyone.  (EG 236)

During the period of the pandemic, the International Forum of Catholic Action proposed several webinars to strengthen communication and relations among Catholic Action at the local and national levels, but also to open a dialogue on the main issues on which we can work together to make a valid contribution to the future of humanity.

We continue to maintain contact with many realities in conflict, with the Holy Land and the Middle East, with Myanmar, and in recent months we have intensified our support to our friends in Ukraine.