The Shalom Catholic Community promotes from September 23 to 28, 2022, the Shalom Convention 40 years in Rome. The event will bring together members of the Community from all over the world in the Eternal City to renew their life offering to God for the evangelization of all mankind. In the program of the event, there is a private audience of the Shalom members with Pope Francis.
The convention has the theme “Shalom: Friends of God, Friends of the Young and Friends of the Poor’ and this year missionaries from Africa, America, Asia, Oceania and Europe will gather as a big family in Rome. Among the confirmed presences are Moysés Azevedo, founder of the Community, Emmir Nogueira, co-founder of the Community, Friar Patrício Sciadini, Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell and Cardinal Marc Ouellet.
Since the Community received pontifical recognition in 2012, the event has been held in Rome. Conventions like this have already taken place on the Community’s 30th and 35th anniversary.
The meeting will offer the unique opportunity to dive even deeper into a new time that the Shalom Community is experiencing with almost half a century since its foundation. “For those who are still taking their first steps in their vocation, it will be an opportunity to participate in this great meeting that brings together brothers and sisters from all over the world,” adds the priest.
“We will have our private audience with the Holy father, as we have had in the last 2 conventions, to renew our life offering, no longer just a young guy, as Moysés Azevedo did in 1982, but as a people that God raised up and formed through the Shalom charism, for the evangelization of all peoples,” explains Father Saulo Dantas, member of the organisation comitee of the Shalom Convention 40 years.
Shalom Convention 40 years – Official program*
September 23 – Welcoming of the participants
Place: “San Lorenzo” International Youth Center.
The participants of the Shalom Convention will be welcomed at “San Lorenzo” International Youth Center. There, they will receive more information about the program. The San Lorenzo Youth Center is located near the Basilica of St. Peter. It is the house of the youth in the heart of the Church. Place of encounter and welcoming of young pilgrims from all over the world. It is currently managed and animated by missionaries of the Shalom Community living in Rome.
September 24 – Marian Encounter
Place: Basilica of Saint Mary Major.
With the theme “Friends of God, with Mary”, the second day of the encounter will be marked by a meeting in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. On this occasion, Emmir Nogueira, co-founder of the Community, will talk about “Mary, the all small one”, image given during the Listening Retreat 2022. There will also be a moment of catechesis about humility, based on the words of the Holy Father, Pope Francis.
September 25 – Shalom, Friends of the Poor
Place: Basilica of Saint John Lateran.
On the third day of the Shalom Convention 40 years, the experience of the evangelization of the poor will be presented in the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. We will talk about our dearest friends: the poor. With their testimonies and some others of the shalom missionaries we will have a moment of reflection to praise God for their lives as part of the procession towards heaven.
September 26 – Meeting with Pope Francis
Place: Paul VI Audience Hall – Vatican City.
The meeting with the Holy Father Pope Francis is scheduled for September 26 in the Paul VI Audience Hall – Vatican City. The moment will be a unique opportunity to listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to the Community and to each of the members through the mouth of Peter’s successor. This day will be also marked by the renewal of each missionary’s life offering to God at the feet of Peter.
September 27 – Shalom, friends of the youth
Place: Basilica of Saint Paul outside the walls.
The fifth day of the Shalom Convention 40 years will take place in the Basilica of Saint Paul outside the walls. It will be a great day, when the whole Community gathers to celebrate the great love for the Youth, the primacy of the Shalom Vocation. Moysés Azevedo, founder of the community, will talk about the complementarity of the older and younger generations, either in age or in the vocational path.
September 28 – Meeting in Assisi, St. Francis’ hometown.
Place: Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi.
The last day of the Shalom Convention will gather all participants at the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi. In the city of Saint Francis, our humble young friend, we will conclude the Shalom Convention. Through the preaching of Moysés, a moment of Adoration to the Holy Sacrament and the Holy Mass with the whole community, we will be sent on mission again.
*The schedule may change and more details will be released later
Service:
Shalom Convention 40 years
Date: September 23rd to 28th
Place: Rome
Theme: Shalom: Friends of God, Friends of the young and Friends of the poor
More information: http://comshalom.org/40anos