A ZENIT DAILY DISPATCH
A ZENIT DAILY DISPATCH
Forum of Catholic Action
Established in 1991
VATICAN CITY, 1 JUNE 2006 (ZENIT)
Here is the description of the International Forum of Catholic Action which appears in the Directory of International Associations of the Faithful, published by the Pontifical Council for the Laity.
Official name: International Forum of Catholic Action
Acronym: IFCA
Established: 1991
History: IFCA was established by the Catholic Action movements of Argentina, Spain, Austria, Malta, Mexico and Italy, following the 1987 synod on the vocation and mission of the laity in the Church and in the world, and the publication of the postsynodal apostolic exhortation "Christifideles Laici."
They felt the need to establish a structure to enable associations and movements belonging to Catholic Action to meet, exchange and show solidarity, in terms of the new evangelization.
The IFCA constituent assembly was held in Rome in 1991. Between 1994 and 2000, the forum promoted continental meetings, study weeks for young people, and seminars. On June 29, 1995, the Pontifical Council for the Laity decreed recognition of the International Forum of Catholic Action as an international organization of pontifical right.
Identity: IFCA sets out to enable associations and federations of Catholic Action movements in diverse countries to get to know one another; and to promote initiatives to support and develop the specific service that they are called to provide consistently with their identity, with all the variety of different forms they take due to their cultural, social and ecclesial contexts.
IFCA also enables the Catholic Action movements to deepen the study of issues affecting the life and the mission of the Church at the universal, continental or regional levels; to establish forms of dialogue and cooperation with all the lay apostolate organizations at the international level; and to represent the associations and federations of Catholic Action movements belonging to the forum before the Holy See and civil international organizations.
Organization: IFCA is governed by the assembly; the general secretariat, made up of five lay members, normally national presidents, appointed by various countries and elected every three years by the ordinary assembly; and the secretariat coordinator. It is also planned to introduce a youth coordinator.
Membership: IFCA has 16 member countries, 10 observer countries and four countries in contact with it.
Publications: Newsletter, in Italian, French, English and Spanish
Web site: www.fiacifca.org
Headquarters:
Forum Internazionale di Azione Cattolica
Via della Conciliazione, 1
00193 Rome - Italy
Tel. (39) 06.661.321 — Fax 06.6613.2360
E-mail: fiac@azionecattolica.it
info@fiacifca.org
© Copyright 2006 — Libreria Editrice Vaticana [adapted]
ZE06060123
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