International Congress of Formators - Consecrated Men and
Women in Solidarity Against Persecution
2015-04-10 LOsservatore Romano
Cardinal Joo Braz de Aviz, Prefect of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, along with Archbishop Jos Rodrguez Carballo, Secretary of the Congregation, denounced with the fragile and powerful voice of the Gospel, the persecution of Christians taking place in different parts of the world. They released a statement on behalf of all consecrated people attending the international congress on the theme Formed to Consecrated Life in the Heart of the Church and of the World, which was held from 7-11 April in Rome . The increasingly atrocious news from the Middle East shocked congress participants, who, in communion with Pope Francis and with all the Church, raised a prayer so that peace, the gift of the Risen Lord, may overcome hatred and violence and so that all people may recognize themselves as brothers and sisters. The message implored governments to implement concrete interventions to bring peace between peoples and to break the spiral of violence in which so many innocent victims, women and children in particular, are embroiled. The preceding afternoon, 52 workshops were held on various subjects, including but not limited to: the world of young people aspiring to embrace consecrated life; formation for communication in the digital era; the prophetic dimension of consecrated life; the poor as agents of formation; the complementary and reciprocal man/woman relationship in consecrated life; dialogue with cultures and enculturation in formation; and justice, peace and the integrity of the environment in the formation processes.