“Challenges of society, challenge of the Gospel” is the theme of the session that the Bishops’ Conference of France is planning for youth at the Catholic University in Angers from 19 to 21 October. The session – explains a statement issued by the Service for Family and Social Questions of the Bishops’ Conference that is promoting the meeting – is aimed at “those aged between 20 and 30 who are about to enter into adulthood and assume their professional and family responsibilities. The aim is to encourage the young to reflect on the great questions posed by society and to discover what the Church has to say about them”. “The social thought of the Church is a treasure hidden at the heart of the Gospel”, says the head of the Council for Family and Social question, the Right Rev. Jean-Charles Descubes, Bishop of Rouen, who will open the meeting with a keynote address. “Word of God and Word on God – says the bishop -, the Gospel is also a word on man and on society. Therefore, while respecting the autonomy of earthly realities, the Church has always considered as an integral part of her mission the affirmation of the values that enable our society to be just and humane”. He will be followed by Father Bruno-Marie Duffé, who will trace the historical development of the social doctrine of the Church. Various issues will then be discussed in workshops: the political involvement of Christians; Church and liberalism; work, enterprise and intermediate bodies; interfaith dialogue; acceptance of foreigners, and the family. The session will be concluded with an address by Guy Aurenche, lawyer and vice-president of “Christians in Forum”, on “Christians and the great challenges of our globalized society”. Info: www.cef.fr.
