ITALIAN CATHOLIC ACTION

Who are we? • We are lay Christians who

participate with responsibility in the life of the local Church and animate society in a Christian way

• Youth, adults, children committed in the life of the parishes and the dioceses.

• You may enter the great family of CA at any age, you may start as a child, then you become part of the youth group at 15 and continue to be part of CA as an adult from 30 years onwards.

…. who are we?

We are are children, youth, women and men that together try to look at the future with hope.

• CA encourages dialogue among generations and offers a proposal to different ages and conditions of life.

• promotes formative itineraries for everybody

• We meet as adults, youth, children, elderly people, married couples, widows and single, workers, unemployed and retired, whose committed in educational, social, political, cultural and sports spheres

Formation

• Formation is the heart of our service to the Church and to society. A holistic formation which includes the whole life of a person in all its existential,socio, cultural, ecclesial and trascendental dimensions.

• We have a project for the formation (last edition 2004). The project contains guidelines both for leaders and for the CA members. The yearly itineraries for children, youth and adults are based on this project

In the local Church

• Parish – in the local Church CA members are witnesses of the Gospel in all spheres of life

• CA is committed to build the Church as communion and mission– Communion with the bishop and priests and the other

ecclesial organization/movements– Mission in the global mission of the church

Share the responsibilities with our Pastors

A HISTORY LONGER THAN 140 YEARS

• 1867 – Society of Italian Catholic Youth was founded • 1896 – FUCI was founded • 1908 – Union of Italian Catholic Women was born • 1918 – Female Youth Section was founded • 1919 – End of non expedit • 1922 – Union of Catholic Men was founded• 1923 - reorganizzation made by Pope Pius XI • 1931 – fight against fascism • 1948 - “Comitati Civici” (to rebuild democracy after II world war)• 1964/1973 – the renewal and the religious choice • 1969 – the “Council” Statute • 2003 - Updated Statute• 2004 - CA Meeting with the John Paul II in Loreto • 2008 - XIII National Assembly and meeting with Benedict XVI in

Rome

THE STRUCTURE AND THE ORGANIZATION

MEMBERS RESPONSIBLES ASSISTANTS

• Sections – Youth Section (15-30 years)– Adult Section (over 30 years)– ACR Children (6-14 years)

• Internal Moviments – Students (with Youth Section)– Workers (with Adult and Youth Section)– MIEAC (education commitment)

• Esternal Movements – MEIC (cultural commitment)– FUCI (university students)

Together for....PARISH ASSOCIATION

DIOCESAN ASSOCIATION

DIOCESAN ASSOCIATION

REGIONALDIMENSION

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION

In ITALY we are ...IN ITALY we are about 400.000 • About 45% adults• About 20% adolescents between 15

-18 years young between 19- 30 years

• About 35% children

65% of members are women and 35% men

ICA is Present in all 220 dioceses (info 2006)

• Parish associations are 6692• Responsibles of associations are 35102 • Diocesan elected responsibles are about 4000;

220 are diocesan presidents

Diocesan organization

• Each diocesan CA has a unitarian diocesan President who represents all the Association. He/she is nominated by the Bishop and is chosen from three persons proposed by the diocesan CA Board

• The diocesan executive is made of a male and female responsible for the Adult section , two responsible the Youth section and one responsible for CA Children

• Priests in CA are the sign of the union with the local Church, they are assistants, nominated by the Bishop and partecipate in the whole life of the association but they do not vote.

THE INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION

• CA reflects the catholicity of the Church. It is open to everyone irrespective of age and position in life and is open to the world.

• ICA has been founder member of IFCA (International Forum Catholic Action) since 1987.

Press & Web • Magazines:

– “Segno” from 18 on (young and adults)

– “Grafiti” from 14 to 18 (teenagers)

– “Ragazzi” from 10 to 14 (children)

– “Foglie” from 6 to 9 (children)– “Dialoghi” cultural magazine– “La Giostra” for pre-school

children – Press (books & pubblications):

“AVE”

• Web Site:www.azionecattolica.it

Italian Witnesses• Saint Gianna Beretta Molla• Saint Riccardo Papuri

• Blessed Piergiorgio Frassati• Blessed Alberto Marvelli• Blessed Pina Suriano• Blessed Antonia Mesina • Blessed Pierina Morosini • Blessed Secondo Pollo • Blessed Maria Sagheddu or “Maria Gabriella of the unity”

• Venerable Nennolina Meo• Venerable Armida Barelli• Venerable Giuseppe Toniolo• ….. And other 14