Between May 21 and 22, the Vatican is hosting the Annual Meeting with Moderators of International Associations of the faithful, ecclesial movements, and new communities. The event is organized by the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life. The dicastery oversees Catholic Church initiatives related to the promotion of life, the apostolate of the laity, and the pastoral care of youth and families around the world.
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Around 200 participants — including moderators (or their delegates) and members of the central governing bodies of the institutions — are taking part in the program. According to the dicastery, attendees represent 104 international associations of the faithful and entities recognized by the Holy See. This year, the assembly is reflecting on the theme: “Serving, Accompanying, Guiding: Foundations and Practices of Governance in Associations.”
Presence of the Holy Father
The most anticipated moment of the day was hearing the words of the Holy Father. Pope Leo XIV addressed participants on the importance of the charisms of the Holy Spirit, noting that the gathering is taking place in the days leading up to Pentecost. Speaking to the moderators, the Pope explained that governing in the Church means “holding the helm” in order to guide communities along a safe path of growth for both the communities themselves and their members.
Leo XIV also emphasized the elements that should accompany the exercise of authority within movements and new communities: mutual listening, co-responsibility, transparency, fraternal closeness, and communal discernment.
Fidelity to Charism
Another point stressed by the Holy Father was the need to remain faithful to a founding charism while remaining open to the current challenges facing the Church and the world. According to Leo XIV, belonging to a community or movement becomes truly fruitful when it moves beyond the limits of internal activities and opens itself to the pastoral and missionary needs of the entire Church. The Pope also warned against the risk of becoming inward-looking:
“We often encounter groups that close in on themselves and think that their specific reality is the only one, or that it alone is the Church. But the Church is all of us — and much more!”
Shalom Community at the Gathering
Among the participants were Moysés Azevedo, founder and General Moderator of the Shalom Catholic Community, and Fr. Saulo Dantas, the Community’s General Assistant. The presence of Moysés and Fr. Saulo highlighted the participation of the Shalom Charism in the evangelizing mission of the Church and in the communion among new communities and ecclesial movements present in many parts of the world. Also participating in the gathering was Fr. Franco Galdino, a priest of the Shalom Community who resides in Rome and serves as coordinator of the Youth Sector of the dicastery.
Program
On the first day of the meeting, the program included an opening address by the Prefect of the Dicastery, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, followed by two conferences: one on the “Theological Aspects of Governance,” delivered by Professor Gill Goulding, and another on the “Principles of Governance in Associations of the Faithful,” presented by Rev. Professor Paolo Gherri.
This was followed by an address from Pope Leo XIV and, later in the afternoon, a presentation led by the dicastery on the challenges involved in responsibilities of governance. Throughout the day, participants also took part in small-group reflections on aspects of governance within associations, identifying possible paths for improvement. The communal recitation of the Rosary in the Vatican Gardens concluded the first day of the meeting, which continues this Friday (22).
With information from the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life.
