EUROPE/SPAIN - "The Eucharist, heart of Christian life and source of the Church’s mission to evangelise": Catholic University of Murcia organises a first ever University Eucharistic Congress

Murcia (Fides Service) - To honour the memory of Pope John Paul II and inspired by his Encyclical “Ecclesia de Eucharistia” and his gift of this past ‘Year of the Eucharist’, the Catholic University of Murcia in Spain has decided to organise a University Eucharistic Congress 9 to 13 November at its own site the Monastery of Los Jerónimos and in a number of parishes in Murcia. The slogan for the congress is “The Eucharist, heart of Christian life and source of the Church’s mission to evangelise” and participants will reflect on the Mystery of the Eucharist from the theological, liturgical and pastoral point of view.
This event is unprecdented, as Pope Benedict XVI has commented, because this is the first time that a university organises a Eucharistic Congress and according to the organisers it could “open a new path in the Church for the celebration of Congresses ". The Pope has appointed a papal Commission presided by Cardinal Jozef Tomko, President of the Pontifical Commitee for Eucharistic Congresses, to represent him at the Congress and follow its organisation.
Cardinals who have assured their presence include, besides, Cardinal Jozef Tomko Cardinal Paul Poupard, President Pontifical Council for Culture; Cardinal Julián Herranz, President Pontifical Council Legislative Texts; Cardinal Alfonso López Trujillo, President Pontifical Council for the Family; Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragán, President Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral; Cardinal Darío Castrillón, Prefect Congregation for the Clergy; Cardinal Antonio María Rouco Varela archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Carlos Amigo Vallejo, archbisop of Seville, and Cardinal Ricardo María Carles emeritus archbishop of Barcelona; Cardinal Nicolás Jesús López, archbishop of Santo Domingo and Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone archbishop of Genoa; rectors of Catholic Unviersities in various countries. Other participants will include Mgr. Javier Echevarría, Prelate of Opus Dei; Kiko Argüello, founder of the Neo Catechumen Way; Jesús Carrascosa, international director of Communion and Liberation; Andrea Riccardi, founder of the S. Egidio Community; Salvatore Martínez, representing Charismatic Renewal; Salvatore Corcuera, director general of Legionaries of Christ; Nunziatina Cilento, co-foundress of the Focolari movement. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 7/9/2005 righe 28 parole 368)