"Signs of the Spirit" Congress Gets Papal
Praise
Event Opens Friday
"The last century, sprinkled by sad pages of history, is at the same time full of wonderful
testimonies of spiritual and charismatic awakening in every realm of
human life," the Pope said Wednesday, referring to the themes to be
addressed by the congress.
The theme of the congress is "The Signs of the Spirit in the 20th Century.
A Historical Rereading: The Witnesses' Account." The event takes place
this Friday through Sunday in
"For
these reasons, I congratulate the national coordinator of Renewal in the Spirit
for having promoted this significant meeting," said the Holy Father.
"I hope the Holy Spirit will meet with an ever more fruitful reception in
the hearts of believers and that the 'culture of Pentecost' will spread, so necessary in our
time," Benedict XVI concluded before taking leave of the 30,000 people who
attended the general audience in St. Peter's Square.
Rereading
Salvatore Martinez, national coordinator of Renewal in the Spirit, presented
this initiative Tuesday at the headquarters of Vatican Radio.
The congress, he said, will be a "rereading in a spiritual vein of the
century which has just ended" and at the same time "an act of honor
to the Holy Spirit who always makes good fruitful."
It will be possible to follow the congress's debates live on Internet at www.lucca2005.org.
The congress will be attended by cardinals, bishops and secretaries of the last
four Popes, as well as founders or representatives of Catholic movements and
associations. Representatives from the cultural, scientific, economic and
political realm will also attend.
The initiative was promoted by Renewal in the Spirit, the Archdiocese of Lucca
and the Congregation of Oblates of the Holy Spirit, together with the
municipality of Lucca, the Focolare Movement and the
Community of Sant'Egidio, under the patronage of the
Pontifical Council for the Laity, the National Service for the Cultural Project
of the Italian bishops' conference and the Senate of the Italian republic.
ZE05092920