Catholic Congress and Public Life invites us to reflect on the spiritual crisis

He Catholic Congress and Public Life which celebrates its 26th edition this weekend in Madrid invites us to reflect and act “in times of uncertainty”, with the aim of articulating a response to the social and spiritual crisis in Spain and Europe.

This call was originally conceived by the former president of the Catholic Association of Propagandists (ACdP), Alfonso Coronel de Palma, as a forum in which the different Catholic realities come into contact and coordinate efforts.

The current president of the ACdP, Alfonso Bullón de Mendoza, who directed the first Catholic Congress and Public Life, recalled in a meeting with the press how the initial assignment was to organize a forum “that allows this rich variety that we, the children of God, have “is reflected in an internal debate.”

Rejecting that there is a temptation to self-referentiality in this initiative, Bullón de Mendoza explained that Catholics “have enough nuances and charisma to be able to establish a dialogue that is very enriching.”

In this edition, co-directed by José Masip and María San Gil, members of the ACdP, this founding spirit has been returned, with a less dispersed program than in previous years, in which parallel workshops abounded, and the differentiation of a special program for young people, so that the congress experience was not comparable for all participants.

Masip pointed out that the title of this congress, What are you going for? Think and act in times of uncertaintyrepresents “an invitation to all Christian realities” to, together, revive “the principles and values ​​that inspired Europe and that are declining. If these values ​​are lost, they will be replaced by others, surely worse.”

“Call to action by Catholics in the face of an unprecedented crisis”

Another novelty of this edition has been the publication in advance of a manifesto that was traditionally announced at the end of the sessions.

In it, it is emphasized that currently there is “a concealment of everything that expresses the transcendence of the human being”, under the more or less explicit premise of “living as if God did not exist.”

Moral relativism “is at the bottom of a crisis, perhaps unprecedented, that requires Catholics to redouble their efforts in defending its foundations” which should not be considered an “exercise in fundamentalism,” but rather “being at the forefront of the debate.” “main part of the future of our societies.”

The manifesto also emphasizes the idea that there is “a feeling of demoralization that is the consequence of a certain impotence in the face of the advance and systematic imposition of a new society, of a social disorder that has never been explained or voted on.”

Furthermore, he considers that relativism “coexists with extremism in the political sphere” in a paradoxical way and that it is necessary “for Catholics to become aware of the role that corresponds to us” in order to escape “an attempt at marginalization and contempt.”

In this sense, he points out that it is as wrong to consider that all Catholics think the same regarding political issues “as it is to conclude that we do not have any cohesion in the public sphere, which is why we should abstain from taking any social and political position.”

In response, the manifesto calls for “enunciating and articulating a strategy or a set of initiatives, as a plan that contributes to raising awareness of the seriousness of the situation.”

Main speakers of the Congress

The first conference of Congress under the title Free to seek the truth will be directed by Ayaan Hirsi Alí, an activist and writer of Somali origin, who suffered genital mutilation in her childhood and was forced to escape to Europe due to the imposition of a forced marriage. He currently lives in the United States, where he works in defense of human rights.

Next, a round table will be held made up of representatives of different lay Catholic movements: Communion and Liberation, Emmaus, Hakuna, General Catholic Action and Neocatechumenal Way.

On Saturday, after the celebration of the Holy Mass, the Bishop of Orihuela-Alicante, Mons. José Ignacio Munilla will address those present with a conference focused on the theme of the congress: Think and act in times of uncertainty.

At noon, a round table will take place under the title No regrets, actionstarring the journalist Ana Iris Simón and the columnist Jorge Freire, moderated by the dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Communication Sciences of the CEU San Pablo University, Pablo Velasco.

In the afternoon, the spotlight will pass into the hands of different digital evangelizers and testimonies especially aimed at young audiences with Carla Restoy, Carlos Taracena, Irene Alonso, Álvaro Trigo, Carlota Valenzuela and Lupe Batallán.

Saturday’s day will conclude with a holy hour, a dinner and a concert.

On Sunday, after Mass, the French philosopher Fabrice Hadjadj will give the closing conference entitled The challenge of living in this time.

The congress can be followed, either in person or online, in this link.

First prayer breakfast

Although outside the program of the Catholic Congress and Public Life, the Catholic Association of Propagandists has promoted this Friday morning the celebration of the first Prayer Breakfast in Spain.

This is an initiative that arose under the Year of Prayer called by Pope Francis. Bullón de Mendoza has pointed out that “it is especially suitable for civil society, a meeting in which we meet to be grateful for the good things we have, and pray for those who are in need, for persecuted Christians and for those who persecute them.”

The meeting was attended by Mons. Bernardito Auza, Apostolic Nuncio in Spain, Cardinal José Cobo, Archbishop of Madrid, and the mayor of the Spanish capital, José Luis Martínez-Almeida.

The businessmen Casilda Finat, Fernando Palacios and Sofía Ruiz de Cueto, vice president of EWTN Spain, have offered their respective testimonies.