Buenos Aires (Fides Service) - “Towards Argentina of the Bi-Centenary” is the title of a Laity Congress organised by the Lay Department and the Commission for the Laity and Lay Apostolate of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Argentina 7-10 October. The congress will be held in two venues: opening and closing at Gran Rex Theatre and group work at the Catholic University of Argentina. “The Congress will bring together for the week end more than 3,000 participants from all over the country to reflect on the role of the lay Catholic in Argentina today in the light of the Social Doctrine of the Church and in preparation for Bi-centenary celebrations” said executive director of the Lay Department Osvaldo González Prandi.
Reflection will focus on three main themes which encompass a series of sub-themes: “The lay person on the Church”, “The lay Catholic in civil society” and “The lay Catholic in politics”. The goals of the Congress are the following: increase awareness on the vocation and mission of the laity in order to build a solid laity rich in communion and diversity committed to evangelisation, inserted in pastoral activity, present in social-political life; discuss contents and strategies of integral and on-going formation to prepare the laity for service and to build a culture of more justice, brotherhood and solidarity; through dialogue promote actions to strengthen family, work, institutional and religious bonds and to foster communion and reconciliation in society and in the social-political environment.
The Congress will open with a solemn Mass in Buenos Aires Cathedral presided by Archbishop Adriano Bernardini, papal nuncio in Argentina. Work will start on 8 October with a conference by Bishop Josef Clemens, secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Laity on “The lay Catholic and the challenges of the 21st century”. (RZ) (Agenzia Fides 7/10/2005, righe 10, parole 141)
See programme in Spanish