TOGETHER FOR EUROPE, Melanie and Ulrich Grauert/mda. Loppiano, near Florence, is the first of many other settlements of the Focolare Movement in the world. The Movement runs a number of businesses and a centre for encounter there, offers training courses for youth, families, priests and religious, as well as for those who want to join the Focolare communities, who follow a two-year basic training. It is here that an economic congress will take place in March 2015. It all began in 1999 when Pope John Paul II had the idea that the Christian communities in Europe should unite in order to renew Europe. In 2004 more than nine thousand participants from over 140 Christian communities in Europe met for the first time in Stuttgart. Since then a number of initiatives and meetings have started.
Within the network “Together for Europe” a group has come together for whom the economy is a subject close to their hearts. Schoenstatt has also been part of this group through the IKAF, the International Kentenich Academy for Leaders in the Economy. Participants are drawn from the Focolare Movement, YMCA, Vineyard and Associazione Comunita Papa Giovanni 23 and Schoenstatt. In this collaborative group the idea has arisen to hold a economic congress in the Spring of 2015 on the subject: Towards an economy for the common good.
Visions of an economy for the common good
The flyer states, “Europe continues to struggle with economic uncertainty posing severe challenges to businesses, policy-makers and citizens. As part of ‘Together for Europe’, Christians from different places of the economy and business world are coming together to seek a better understanding of the signs of the times, offering experiences and visions about an ‘economy for the common good’ and raise a prophetic voice of hope for a better European economy and society.”
The objective of the congress is to share the rich experiences, projects and activities of the individual Christian communities, and make them visible and tangible – to learn from one another and set out together on the way into the future.
A participant said:
“I was very impressed to experience how many different charisms exist in the different communities, to get to know them and also to know that all are equally on the way as we are, each in his or her own way. We can complement one another really well and that gives us strength.”
“We want to encourage one another to set out, to talk to others about this, and together renew Europe”, Melanie and Ulrich Grauert said.
The Congress will take place from 6-9 March. It is still possible to book.
Information and bookings email: info@edicspa.com
Tel. +39 055/8330400Contact: Mr & Mrs Grauert/IKAF: info@ikaf.de
