Rome. From the 13 – 16th of December, in the Great Hall of the Urbaniana University of Rome, the XXXVII Congress on Religious was organized by the “Claretianum” Institute of Religious Life.
The central theme for this year was expressed in this manner: “A future for religious life. Does it still make sense to consecrate oneself to God?”
Close to 500 people participate, among them religious men and women and those interested in reflecting on the state and current challenges in religious life.
The Congress began on Tuesday afternoon, the 13th of December, with the presence of Mgr. Rino Fisichella, President of the recently created “Council of the New Evangelization”. The Archbishop welcomed the contribution of religious life at key moments in the history of the Church.
The ‘talks’ presented during the Congress were:
“Decline and revival of religious institutes: a lesson from history”, presented by Prof. Arturo Pinacho, CMF;
“The future is now”, by sisters Giselle Gómez, General Adviser of the Company of Saint Teresa and Antonietta Potente, Theologian of the Order of Preachers;
“Look at the future. Why it still makes sense to consecrate oneself to God? “, by Dr. Amedeo Cencini;
“Intercongregationality and shared mission, source of life and future” by Dr. Rino Cozza, episcopal Vicar for consecrated life in the Diocese of Trento and Paola Bignardi, former President of the Italian Catholic action;
“The ‘ars moriendi carismatica’ and the ‘capacidad autopoietica’ of the charism: an intelligent ‘leadership’ for the challenges of our era”, by Prof. José Cristo Rey García Paredes CMF;
“New Institutes, unions, mergers, suppressions and ‘new forms’, by Prof. Giancarlo Rocca.
In addition, on the last day, “experiences of rebirth” of some communities of consecrated life were presented.
The Congress was a great success, representing for the Institutes of Consecrated Life a challenge: to learn to live in the present with vitality and hope, given the many signs with which God continues leaving in them, traces of His presence and the action of his Spirit.
