"The course of the cultural project is closely connected with ‘novelty’, not just the methodological one that the Meeting of Verona launched and that consists in outlining five spheres in which to practise the testimony (emotional life and the family, work and partying, education and the transmission of culture, poverty and sickness, the citizens’ duties and responsibilities)". It was said this morning by card. Camillo Ruini, president of the Italian Bishops Conference, in his introductory speech for the opening of the VIII Forum of the cultural project about "Reason, science and the future of civilisations". This novelty "does not just ‘adapt’ the pastoral to the current socio-cultural context, but suits the deep nature of the Christian experience, which stands out for giving priority to the person and to the person’s effective living conditions, with the relations, affections, interests, problems, expectations that distinguish it". In other words, this is "a pastoral and ‘widespread’ approach to the anthropological question, from the perspective of the current living practices". In addition, the cultural project has "a lot to do with that missionary character of all of God’s people, and, within it, specifically of the lay people", called to join "faith and life" together and to "keep alive the ‘folkloristic’ nature of Italian Catholicism". (to be continued)
