Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides Service) - From 13 to 16 December at Casa Maria Immacolata in Rome there will be the 2nd World Meeting for Pastoral Care of International Students organised by the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples. Participants, about sixty representatives of Bishops’ Conferences, religious congregations, associations, movements, institutions from 30 different countries representing all five continents, will reflect on experience of this form of pastoral care.
The objective is to promote co-ordination and cooperation in pastoral care for international students, particularly those in difficult conditions and also to broaden ordinary university pastoral to include the factor of emigration. Hence the theme chosen for the meeting “International students and the Instruction Erga migrantes caritas Christi”. Since 1980 the phenomenon has doubled in numbers at the world level and now involves almost two million students whose number could multiply by five in the next twenty years. These students move towards USA (28%), great Britain (12%), Germany (11%), France (10%), Australia (9%) and Japan (4%). Not to be forgotten either flows promoted by specific programmes in the European Union.
The meeting will open with an address by President of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, Cardinal Stephen Fumio Hamao, and an illustration of the theme and programme by the secretary of the Council, which has a sector for international students, Archbishop Agostino Marchetto. This will be followed by greetings from the Anglican fraternal delegate Dr. Richard Burridge, and World Council of Churches fraternal delegate Gary Vachicouras and the presentation of a ‘overall view’ resulting from a survey among the participants, by Canon Charles di Hemptinne, President of SECIS (Service European Churches for International Students). Speakers will include archbishop Robert Sarah, secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples on “The ecumenical, inter-religious and intercultural dimension of pastoral care for international students”; archbishop Cesare Nosiglia, CCEE delegate for university pastoral on “Guidelines for university pastoral in Europe, with special attention for pastoral workers and their formation”; Archbishop Michael Miller, secretary of the Congregation for Catholic education on the theme “For pastoral of mission and dialogue (proclamation and evangelisation)”.
Main directives for a specific pastoral are expected to emerge from reflection and testimonials during panel discussion, reports on experience in different countries and work groups. The highlight of the Meeting will be participation at Pope Benedict XVI’s meeting with university students in St Peter’s Basilica on Thursday 15 December. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 12/12/2005, righe 35, parole 460)
