Towards a Church, inspired by the Gospel, for the world

After 50 years, help relight the flame of Vatican II !
We are faithful Catholics loyal to the message of Vatican II. Over the past 50 years, many of
us calling for reforms promised at the Council have been ignored. The second Vatican Council1
encouraged us to speak out for the good of our Church and Pope Francis has now echoed this
message in his apostolic exhortation ‘Evangelii Gaudium’2
Now is the time for the hidden part of the Church to emerge from the catacombs – Join us for
this once in a lifetime meeting of reform groups and leading Catholic scholars from all over the
world.
As equal disciples of Jesus, we are called to show the world and the Church that the
seeds planted by the second Vatican Council have produced new growth over the past 50
years. We want to hear about our experiences of keeping the Church alive as inspired by the
spirit of Vatican II, what our vision is for its future, and how local groups are living and
expressing faith today within an evolving world. Our diversity will show the richness and
vitality of the people of God in its unity (I cor 12), as in the different colors of a rainbow
Reform groups, associations and movements, grass-root communities, and interested
associations, are organizing throughout the world local events to celebrate the 50th anniversary of
the close of Vatican II that opened new ways of being Church. Remembering how the apostles and
disciples of Jesus came together (Acts 15, 2-4), we are inviting delegates of these movements
inspired by Council Vatican II to meet together in a worldwide event in Rome on the 20th -22th of
November 2015, in order to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the close of Vatican II, to know each
other and to exchange our local experiences and reflections.

1 Lumen Gentium IV, 37 : The laity should openly reveal to them their needs and desires with that freedom and
confidence which is fitting for children of God and brothers in Christ. They are, by reason of the knowledge,
competence or outstanding ability which they may enjoy, permitted and sometimes even obliged to express theiropinion on those things which concern the good of the Church.
2Evangelii Gaudium, (26), (29), (31) : At yet other times, the Bishop will have to walk after the people, helping those who lag behind and – above all – allowing the flock to strike out on new paths

Council 50 : Towards a Church,
Inspired by the Gospel, for the world

Postal address : c/o EN-RE 68 rue de Babylone 75007 Paris France
Web site: http://www.council50.org Contact :
francois.becker@council50.org

Agenda for the gathering of delegates in Rome, casa Lasalle, Circonvallazione Aurelia

20-22 November 2015
Friday 20th of November 2015
14:00 Opening of the registration arrival of delegates, installation of the fair,
19:30 dinner at at Casa Lasalle
20:45 -22:00 Aula Magna : Welcome party and presentation of the program and the
workshops:
Saturday 21st of November 2015
8: 00 to 9:00 visit of the fair contribution to the Charter, inscription to workshops
9:00 to 10:30 Plenary Session I Aula Magna
– Opening and Prayer
– Report of Dr Nontando Hadebe (lay woman theologian from Zimbabwe and South
Africa) and Discussion
10:30- 11:15 Coffe Break in corridor of the main building, inscription for the workshops
11:15 to 12:45 Pleanry Session II in Aula Magna
– Reports of delegates from different continents
– Discussion
13h00 Lunch
14:00-14:30 visit of the fair contribution to the Charter
14:30 to 16:00 Workshops series I : 4 worhshops in parallel, (or free discussions)
16:00 -16:30 Coffe Break in corridor of the main building,
16:30- 18:00 Workshops series II : 4 worhshops in parallel, (or free discussions)
18:15-19:30 CasaLaSalle Church: celebration and liturgy
19:30 Dinner
20:45-22:00 Open meeting of reporters, moderatores of workshops: preparation of the
report of workshops and finalisation of Charter
Sunday 22 November
9: 00 -10:30 Plenary Session III in Aula Magna: Overview of the work of the
workshops – Proclamation of the Charter and Final prayer and Farewell
10:30-11:15 Move to St Peter Square
11:15-12:30 Meeting at St Peter Square
14h30-16h30 Organisation of the Network

Provisional list of proposed workshops for the event in Rome

The goals of the workshops are to propose a few sentences for the Charter Council
50 and a report that will be briefly presented in plenary. All reports will be published.
– a) Peace and war, non-violent solutions of conflicts/Church and Christian actions for
peace
– b) Social and economic justice, respect of Human Rights, migration, trafficking/
Commitment of Christians and Church, Church of the Poor
– c) Environment, sustainability/Commitment of Christians and Church, Encyclical
“Laudato Si”
– d) Inter and Intra religious dialogues, enlargement to interconvictional dialogues:
universality of spirituality, transcendences, cultures, beliefs and religions….
– e) Societal issues, family (synod results), person sexuality, gender, LGBT, impact of
cultures and religions,
– f) Organization of the Church, reform of ministries and inclusion of women in coherence with
Women / Men equality for responsibilities, communities, functioning;
– g) Base Ecclesial Communities, Grass-Root communities, their experiences, their
actions, their relationship with the institution
– h) Report on the jubilee of the pact of Catacombs and contributions to Council 50
Note : Each workshop will have to identify key points to be introduced in the Charter
Council50 and to prepare a report that will be briefly presented in plenary session and
will be published.