The Spanish bishops want to promote the presence of the laity in public life and are preparing an itinerary that they will present at the next Plenary Assembly of the EEC in November.
This initiative, entrusted to the president of the Episcopal Commission for the Laity, Family and Life, the Archbishop of Zaragoza, Mons. Carlos Escribano, has its origin in the Congress of Laity held in 2020 under the motto People of God on the way out.
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The objective is to “form and accompany the lay faithful for their presence in public life,” according to the CEE.
Several Catholic institutions or civil groups formed by Catholics offer courses and programs to encourage the participation of lay people in public life inside and outside Spain.
He Center for Studies, Training and Social Analysis The CEU San Pablo University organizes courses such as the International School of Leadership, the Course in Leadership, Politics and Good Government or the university expert diploma in Leadership and Civic Engagement.
The Ángel Ayala Institute of Humanities, linked to the Catholic Association of Propagandists, has the University Diploma of Expert in Social Doctrine of the Churchaimed at deepening the knowledge of the major issues that affect our current society from the guidelines of the Catholic Church.
The Francisco de Vitoria University teaches the Master in Social Doctrine of the Churchwhich seeks to “form Christian apostles for today’s world” or, within the Institute of Development and Person, training such as the program Expert in Affective-Sexual Education or the Master in Marriage and Familywhich is carried out in collaboration with the CEU San Pablo University).
The University of Navarra, of Opus Dei, has a Master in Christianity Contemporary Culture which provides its students with “advanced knowledge to understand the problems and challenges of today’s world.”
The Catholic University of Valencia San Vicente Mártir (UCV) also offers a Master in Marriage and Family Sciences in collaboration with the Pontifical Theological Institute of Saint John Paul II.
Furthermore, there is a Diploma in Christianity and Contemporary Thought which is taught in collaboration with the “San Pablo” Higher Institute of Religious Sciences of the Diocese of Orihuela-Alicante.
Since this month of October, Villanueva University has hosted the seminar “Ideas for political action”, a program promoted by the School of Political Vocation aimed at young people that focuses “on the foundations of political philosophy, inspired by the great thinkers and Judeo-Christian philosophy.”
From the field of civil society, the Enraizados Foundation also has various courses aimed at lay people who have a vocation to contribute to the common good of society. They are dedicated to the Social Doctrine of the Church, marriage and family or the history of Spain and among them the “Leading is loving” program stands out, launched to “bear fruit and help build the Civilization of Love.”
There are also organizations aimed at lay Catholics engaged in the business world, such as Business Social Action y His Way at Work Españawhich offer various training instruments.
Nicholas de Cardenas
Born in 1980, I am a Spanish husband and father and journalist with more than 20 years of experience in print and digital media, specializing in sociopolitical and religious information. I have worked for more than 10 years in defense of human rights and have accreditations in Journalism and Comprehensive Communication. Since July 2022, I have been a correspondent for ACI Prensa and EWTN Noticias in Spain, covering international events of the Catholic Church.