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Introduction
In many countries, throughout this century, associations of lay people have been formed which, "in closer union with the hierarchy, have persued, and continue to persue, ends that are properly apostolic" (AA 20.1).
Among these associations the Ecumenical Council Vatican II draws particular attention to "those which, though using differring methods, have yielded abundant fruit for the kingdom of Christ. Deservedly praised and promoted by the Popes and numerous Bishops, they have received from them the name of Catholic Action, and have most often been described by them as a collaboration of the laity in the hierarchical apostolate" (AA 20.1).
This particular form of group apostolate, whose identity and mission have been reproposed by the Ecumenical Council Vatican II itself (cf. Lumen Gentium 33.3; Ad Gentes 15.9 and especially Apostolicam Actuositatem 20.2 and 20.4) and by the constant teachings of the Roman Popes and the Bishops (cf. most recently Christifideles laici 31.3) is still alive and functioning in many countries on the various continents. This fact was also confirmed by the work and by the final documents of the recent Synod of Bishops on the vocation and mission of the laity in the Church and in the world, which took place in October 1987 (cf. Propositio 13 and the Message of the Synod of Bishops On the paths of the Council 5.4).
In particular - and also as a result of the 1987 Synod of Bishops - several national Associations of Catholic Action have recently developed new relationships aimed at encouraging the following goals:
a- a deeper reciprocal understanding;
b- a common reflection on the identity of Catholic Action associations in the variety of the forms and methods of organisation and
c- a careful analysis of the typical service which Catholic Action is called upon to provide within the Church and within society, with reference to the specific pastoral and cultural context in which it is working.
The utility of these relationships with their specific goals has become increasingly clear in relation to:
- the solidarity and common pastoral concern which must unite Christians in the different countries and continents,
- the global dimension of the great problems which contemporary society poses to the Christian conscience,
- the objectives and the directives of pastoral commitment which the Church today entrusts to all Christian communities and which are summed up in the urgent call to"begin a new evangelisation". That call "is directed not only to individual persons but also to entire portions of the populations in the variety of their situations, surroundings and cultures" (ChL 34).
Therefore, encouraged by the Pontificium Consilium pro Laicis (with a Letter dated November 6th 1991 nº 1845), an International Forum of Catholic Action was set up with a provisional Secretariat, in order to build up a new place of meeting, exchange and promotion of all the associations which recognize themselves in the tradition of Catholic Action, without conditioning, in any way, each local CA reality.
On account of what has been said above, and wishing to give a stable form to this cooperation which has already shown itself suitable and useful for the development of the apostolate, through this act the "International Forum of Associations and Federations of Movements of Catholic Action" is constituted with the following goals and norms.
Historical note
he Normative Document of the International Forum of Catholic Action was drawn up and approved unanimously in the Constitutive Assembly of the Forum, held in Rome on November 9th 1991, attended by the National Associations and Federations of Movements of Catholic Action of the following countries: Argentina, Austria, Spain, Italy, Malta, Mexico, Paraguay, Romania (Greek rite).
The constitution of the Forum had already received support from the Pontificium Consilium pro Laicis, whose President, Card. Eduardo Pironio, with his Letter of November 6th 1991 nº 1845 underlined the opportunity of the Forum as "a new place of meeting, exchange and promotion of all the associations which recognize themselves in the meritorious tradition of Catholic Action, in an intense and peculiar communion with the Pope and the Bishops".
As regards a Normative Document, the Pontificium Consilium pro Laicis has offered contributions and guidelines in order to establish an organization wich can be effective without conditioning, in any way, each local CA reality.
In the same Letter the Cardinal President declared "as appropriate the presence of the Hierarchy to assist in a particular way the International Secretariat. To this effect, considering also the necessary connection of the Forum with the Pontificium Consilium pro Laicis as well as with the other ecclesiastical authorities, it is essential that Bishop General Assistant of ICA - appointed by the Holy Father - should be "de jure" member of the above Secretariat".
The Normative Document fully accepting the contributions and guidelines so received, aims to give a stable form to this "new place of meeting, exchange and promotion" which will benefit the development of the apostolate which the Associations and Federations of Catholic Action exercise in close union with their Pastors in the different countries, and will, at the same time, facilitate a more effective service on the international level, in an appropriate relationship with the Pontificium Consilium pro Laicis and with the different ecclesial structures and organizations on the global, continental or regional level.
The text of the Normative Document after approval was sent to the Bishops Conferences of the above countries. They examined it and sent us their own observations and additional proposals, which were handed over to the Pontificium Consilium pro Laicis for a more suitable examination.
On the basis of the observations and proposals from the Bishops Conferences, the Normative Document was accordingly revised and approved unanimously in the 1st Ordinary Assembly of the Forum, in Vienna October 29th-November 2nd 1994, attended by the National Associations and Federations of Movements from: Argentina, Austria, Colombia, Spain, Malta, Mexico, Paraguay, Italy, Romania (Latin rite), Italian Switzerland and Venezuela.
The Normative Document in the new drawing up and after a careful formal review was finally presented to the Pontificium Consilium pro Laicis by the General Secretariat for approval with a letter dated March 19th 1995, which was written at the end of the works carried out in Rome during the annual meeting March 18th/19th 1995.
Norms
1. Composition of the Forum
1.-1. The International Forum of the Associations and the Federations of Movements of Catholic Action is made up of the associations of lay apostolate constituted on the national level, which correspond to the four notes, taken together, that are set out in the Decree of the Ecumenical Council Vatican II Apostolicam Actuositatem, no.20, 2-3, and which therefore fit the re-definition contained in the post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici no. 31,3.
1.-2. Compliance with the requirements specified in the preceding paragraph shall be ascertained and certified by the local Bishops Conference.
1.-3. Diocesan and regional Associations can also be members of the Forum where corrisponding organizations on the national level do not exist. In this case compliance with the requirements referred to in point
1.4. must be ascertained and certified by the diocesan Bishop or by the competent regional Bishops Conference.
2. Goals and aims
2.-1. The Forum's goals are:
- to be a place where concern and solidarity for the Catholic Action of different countries, regions and continents can find expression;
- to analyse the worldwide dimension of the great problems that contemporary society poses to the Church and to Catholic Action;
- to animate and promote the "new evangelization" with respect for the different pastoral contexts and the different methods of organization of each Catholic Action.
2.-2. The Forum pursues the following aims:
a) to encourage reciprocal understanding among Associations and Federations of Movements of Catholic Action in the different countries;
b) to promote initiatives aimed at supporting and developing the specific service which the Associations and Federations of Movements of Catholic Action are called upon to provide. This service remains consistent with the identity of Catholic Action but varies in the methods and forms required by the different cultural, social and ecclesial contexts in which they are operating;
c) to promote initiatives aimed at a deeper understanding of the problems which affect the life and the mission of the Church on a global, continental or regional level.
d) to establish dialogue and cooperation with all lay apostolate organisations with a special attention to those International Catholic Organizations already recognised.
e) to represent the Associations and the Federations of Movements of Catholic Action belonging to the Forum with the Pontificium Consilium pro Laicis and other organs of the Holy See.
f) to represent the Associations and the Federations of Movements of Catholic Action belonging to the Forum with the civil International Organizations, respecting the ecclesial nature of the Forum and inside its goals.
2.- 3. As regards its organization and its activities, the Forum conforms itself to the four notes, taken together, laid down by the Vatican II Decree Apostolicam Actuositatem no. 20.2 and 3.
3. Composition of Forum
3.-1. The Forum is made up of the following National Associations or Federations of Movements: Argentina, Austria, Spain, Italy, Malta, Mexico, Paraguay and Romania (Greek rite).
3.-2. Other Associations and Federations of Movements of Catholic Action may request to join the Forum by providing proof of compliance with the requirements set out in Art. 1.
3.-3. The requests to join the Forum have to be presented to the General Secretariat who will submit them to the Assembly for the approval. The decision will be taken by the absolute majority.
3.-4. In order to speed communication and as a sign of communion, the Forum takes up its seat in the city of Rome, seat of St. Peter's chair and of the Pontificium Consilium pro Laicis.
4. Organs and functions
4.-1. The organs of the Forum are:
a) the Assembly
b) the General Secretariat.
4.-2. The Assembly is the principal organ of the Forum.
Members of the Assembly are all Associations and Federations of Movements of Catholic Action which are duly admitted to the Forum.
The Assembly meets in ordinary session every three years, and in extraordinary session whenever called by the General Secretariat after a resolution taken by the vote of the majority of the members of the Forum.
4.-3. The Assembly meets in ordinary or extraordinary session to examine the questions for which it was summoned and in accordance with the goals set out in Art.2.
The Assembly session is validly constituted when the majority of its members is present.
4.-4. The Assembly which is effectively constituted can approve documents or statements and formulate recommendations which have no binding character for its members.
All the relative decisions must be approved by the absolute majority of the members of the Forum.
4.-5. Any statement of the Forum to be published in the mass-media is intended in accordance with the Ecclesiastical Assistant of the Forum.
4.-6. In the same way the Assembly can approve resolutions for the proceedings of the Forum and of the General Secretariat by the absolute majority.
4.-7. The organizational aspects of the Forum are assured by the General Secretariat whose functions are: representation, communication, proposals of initiatives, implementation of the decisions of the Assembly.
4.-8. The General Secretariat is composed of five lay persons representing different countries, which reflect the diversity of Catholic Action. The five countries are elected by the ordinary Forum Assembly every three years.
5. Ecclesiastical Assistant
The Ecclesiastical Assistant of the Forum is named by the Ecclesiastical Authority according to the norms of Canon Law, and he represents the Hierarchy in each organ of the Forum.
6. Administration
The economical resources for the functioning of the Forum are set up both through the contributions charged to the members, fixed by the assembly; and through donations received for the activity of the Forum. The administration of the resources will be run by the General Secretariat who will account to the Ordinary Assembly.
7. Amendments to the Normative Document
7.-1. Any amendment to the present Normative Document can be deliberated by the Assembly with the absolute majority of its members.
7.-2. Any deliberations will be submitted to the examination either of the National/Regional Bishops Conferences or of the Diocesan Bishops who are interested, according to art. 1.
7.-3. Any deliberation of amendment and any observation from the Ecclesiastical Authorities referred to in the previous paragraph will be presented by the General Secretariat together with its own observations to the Pontificium Consilium pro Laicis, who approves the amendments to the Normative Document.
8. Final Provision
The present Normative Document corresponds to the text approved by the Forum Assembly of November 7th-10th 1991, where the observations received by the National Bishops Conferences of the member countries where inserted. The Pontificium Consilium pro Laicis approved it definitively nº 144/00/S-61/B-65 a. of January 3rd 2000.
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