VATICAN - Statutes of the Shalom Community approved by Pontifical Council for the Laity

Vatican City (Fides Service) - About 500 members of the Shalom community, Catholics of all walks of life, priests, couples, single people, arrived in Rome to celebrate Pontifical recognition of the Shalom Catholic Community on March 13. The documents was signed in the Aula Magna of the Pontifical Council for the Laity in the presence of the Council President and a few leading members of the Community. The Shalom Community, started 25 years ago to evangelise young people, is now an International Federation of Catholics of Pontifical Right, the first of this kind of “new community” in Latin America. The Community’s activity with its missionaries reaches ten countries in America and the Middle East.
The members are celibate singles, couples, priests, people discerning their state of life, men and women, of all ages united in a life of consecration in poverty, obedience and chastity according to their state of life. Their mission in a spirit of new evangelisation includes: formation of young people, families, children, the poor and the suffering; prayer groups centres of evangelisation, formation, spiritual, art; door to door evangelisation, large events, missionary spectacles, radio stations, publications, the Internet, schools and faculties. They are present in the world or work, culture, science and human promotion. Three days of celebrations in Rome, 13, 14 and 15 March will include special Masses, a musical, an evening of prayer and testimonials. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 13/3/2007 - righe 19, parole 253)