On Mission with Peter: Apostolicity at the Heart of the Movements’ Identity

The report of the Annual Meeting of 2023 that the Dicastery organised with the Moderators of Associations of the Faithful, Ecclesial Movements and New Communities has been published.

Organised by the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, the report of the Annual Meeting with the Moderators of International Associations of the Faithful, Ecclesial Movements and New Communities that took place on 22 June 2023 has been published by Libreria Editrice Vaticana. The day of reflection was also intended as a celebration of the 25^th anniversary of the first World Congress of Ecclesial Movements in the Vatican, which culminated with the historic meeting with Pope John Paul II in Saint Peter’s Square on 30 May 1998.

Regarding that first Congress in the Vatican, we wanted to revisit the stimulating reflections on Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger’s address about the theological position of movements and to invite all current leaders of such groups to re-think their identity and mission, so many years after the address took place.

In addition to the text by Cardinal Kevin Farrell who introduces the work by illustrating the content and purpose of the theme, the book contains an in-depth analysis by Father Paolo Prosperi. Father Prosperi studied the content of Cardinal Ratzinger’s address, rereading and updating it in light of Pope Francis’ magisterium on ecclesial movements. Father Prosperi’s analysis also suggests ways of constructively addressing the challenges that every apostolic-oriented charism poses to the very members of ecclesial movements.

The book also includes some of the testimonies presented during the sharing sessions and free time included in the programme, that is, the fruit of the associations’ reflections on the challenges that apostolic life poses to groups today.

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On Mission with Peter: Apostolicity at the Heart of the Movements’ Identity, report of the Annual Meeting with the Moderators of Associations of the Faithful, Ecclesial Movements and New Communities, edited by the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, published by Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Vatican City 2024, 86 pages, 12 euros.