Faith and politics: Formation for young people with a passion for the common good
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The eighth session of the workshop “Faith and Politics”: (held every two years, since 2006, and interrupted only by the Covid Pandemic), was held in Venice from 14 to 21 August. It was organised by a team of Jesuits and lay people from all over Europe (under the patronage of the Jesuit Conference of European Provincials) and addressed to young people from all over Europe aged 20 to 35. There were 16 participants, from Albania, Croatia, France, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Sweden.
The training team consisted of:
- Fr. Peter Rozic (Slovenia)
- Fr. Edmond Grace (Ireland)
- Fr. Giuseppe Riggio
- Fr. Luciano Larivera
- Fr. Cesare Sposetti
- Sc. Louis Tonneau (Belgium)
- Kevin Hargaden (Ireland)
The workshop is an experience where young people are invited to review their own experiences of political and social engagement, and includes moments of reflection and prayer, based on input from Ignatian spirituality, with special focus on the discernment of spirits. Formation sessions are offered by team members and include testimonies given by external speakers involved in politics or social work. This year the speakers included Rosario Farmhouse, from Portugal, President of the National Commission for the Rights of Children and Young People; Katrine Camilleri, Director of JRS Malta; and Peadern Tobin, Member of the Irish Parliament. Moments of sharing and exchange and a visit to Venice were included in the programme.
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“Gli obiettivi fondamentali del programma”, spiega p. Cesare Sposetti, “sono stati:
– to help young people reflect on their personal history and their vocation to social and political commitment,
– help them to experience how their dimension of Faith and relationship with the Lord is fully involved in their service,
to train them to seek constantly and selflessly the common good and to recognise and pursue the best for themselves and for the communities they are and will be called to serve.
Molti temi dell’attualità europea, come la guerra in Ucraina, la crisi ambientale, l’avanzata dei nazionalismi e dei populismi, sono ovviamente entrati nella discussione, ma l’obiettivo principale, generale, è stato quello di sempre: formare giovani appassionati alla causa del bene comune, che siano in grado di discernerlo nei vari contesti della propria vita e impegno e in grado di dedicarvisi con tutto se stessi”.
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