European Churches" "
The meeting of the delegates of the European Forum of the national Committees of the laity opens in Ljubljana, in Slovenia, on 20 June, and will end on 22 June. The Forum is aimed at the promotion of regular contacts between the national committees and lay councils or corresponding organizations of the continent with a view to effective collaboration in the field of evangelization: “a genuine challenge in Europe”, comment the organizers. There are 22 national committees that are members of the Forum; and 7 “observers”. The aim of the meeting in Ljubljana, explains the president of the Forum, Robert Corrins, is to “prepare the assembly to be held in Fatima from 3 to 7 July 2004 on the theme: ‘The ethical and spiritual sources of our responsibility in society'”. “We are convinced – says Corrins of the importance of the commitment of the Catholic laity, an active protagonist in the process of the development of Europe and of its institutions. We have a valuable contribution to make in guiding political, ethical and social questions. A well formed and informed Catholic laity could represent a benefit for Europe”. Hence the importance of dialogue: “Each country undoubtedly requires specific strategies of intervention, but it’s also true that in many fields the problems to be tackled present common features”.
