September 2024
Rome Conference - Defend migrant workers - Martyrs in Guatemala
The Centre International Cardijn
Friends,
We are pleased to announce that we have registered the Centre International Cardijn here in Lille in the north of France. Our main aim is to promote understanding and knowledge of the vision and methods developed by Joseph Cardijn, founder of the JOC or YCW.
We see ourselves a partner in the work being done by the Australian Cardijn Institute and the Cardijn Associates of the USA.
Our first major initiative, in fact, is to partner with the International Movements of Specialised Catholic Action on an important conference on Lay Mission and Vocation to be held in Rome from 9-13 October 2024, during the Second Assembly of the Synod on Synodality.
It will also coincide with the 60th anniversary of the Vatican II document, Lumen Gentium, with its pathbreaking Chapter 4 on The Laity.
So, we are pleased to announce that Vatican Nuncio to the USA, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, himself a protégé of the Specialised Catholic Action movements in France, will join us in an online conversation for the opening of the conference. Read more about this below.
This is our first newsletter. Each month we hope to bring you a selection of news items, reading, reflection and action resources relevant to Cardijn and the work of the Cardijn-inspired lay apostolic movements around the world.
We also have news from Pax Romana IMCS, the International Movement of Catholic Students of their meeting with Pope Francis this week. We present an article from the International YCW by Jacques Hanon, explaining the international dimension of the movement.
And much more! We hope you enjoy this newsletter.
Join the Centre International Cardijn
If you would like to collaborate with us and/or support us in our work, we also invite you to join the Centre International Cardijn. Click here to do so!
Stefan Gigacz
Editor
PS Thanks to our friends from the Australian Cardijn Institute for your help in launching this newsletter.
Lay Mission and Vocation Conference, Rome
The Centre International Cardijn together with the Australian Cardijn Institute and the International Movements of Specialised Catholic Action are organising a Lay Mission and Vocation Conference in Rome from 9-13 October 2024.
The conference will mark the 60th anniversary of the Vatican II document, Lumen Gentium with its Chapter 4 on The Laity, which was greatly influenced by Cardijn and the Specialised Catholic Action movements.
It will take place during the Second Assembly of the Synod on Synodality and the aim is to raise awareness among Synod participants of the importance of the mission and vocation of lay people in transforming their lives, their milieux and the world, as Cardijn used to say.
This is the first major initiative of the Centre International Cardijn. Through our fundraising campaign we are sponsoring several participants from the Global South, including MIJARC leaders from India, and a YCW chaplain from Burundi.
READ MORE ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
https://rome2024.josephcardijn.com/
SUPPORT A PARTICIPANT FROM THE GLOBAL SOUTH
https://rome2024.josephcardijn.com/donate/
The internationality of the YCW since its origins
It is a fact that the international dimension of the YCW project has been present right from the start, writes Jacques Hanon on the IYCW website.
Cardijn, as a priest in the parish of Notre-Dame de Laeken, created the 1st group of young women workers in 1912. But it should be noted that, immediately after his ordination in 1906, he began studying, not Religious Sciences or Theology, but Political and Social Sciences at the Catholic University of Leuven. He was fascinated by the concrete study of reality through investigative work, and made study trips, notably to Great Britain, the 1st industrial power of the time, to study the living and working conditions of workers and how they organized themselves.
Immediately after the First World War, in 1919, he founded the “Jeunesse syndicaliste” (Young Trade Unionist), which focused on training young people. In 1925, the “YCW-Young Christian Workers” was officially recognized.
READ MORE
Jacques Hanon, The Internationality of the YCW: Present Since its Origins! (IYCW)
Defend migrant workers: Pope Francis
Visiting Singapore on the last leg of his journey to Asia and the Pacific, Pope Francis emphasised the need to protect the dignity of migrant workers.
"I hope that special attention will be paid to the poor and the elderly – whose labours have laid the foundations for the Singapore we see today – as well as to protecting the dignity of migrant workers.
“These workers contribute a great deal to society and should be guaranteed a fair wage,” the pope emphasised.
SEE JUDGE ACT ENQUIRY
Defend migrant workers: Pope Francis
In conversation with Cardinal Christophe Pierre, nuncio to the USA
Rudy Dehaney and Joe Mourad from the US Cardijn Associates together with Stefan Gigacz from the Australian Cardijn Institute met with Holy See Nuncio to the USA, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, on September 3 2024.
Cardinal Pierre shared his own personal story of involvement with the Jeunesse Indépendante Chrétienne (JIC), a Specialised Catholic Action movement for young people from a business background, and the International Movement for the Apostolate of Independent Milieu (MIAMSI).
He also agreed to join the opening session of the Lay Mission and Vocation Conference for an online conversation on October 9 at 1pm US Eastern time.
REGISTER NOW
Wednesday 9 October 2024, 7pm Rome time
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZckcuCrrj4pGtEEyA1xpecN7RxRKnvjcecX
Cardijn Community takes shape in Africa
Cardijn Community leaders from several African countries met via Zoom on Sunday 25 August to discuss developments on the African continent.
“Let us promote Cardinal Cardin’s spirit and methology,” CCI leader, Lazare Kabran, announced following the meeting. “A new movement is born in the paradigm of Catholic action movements: Cardijn Community International Africa.
READ MORE
Cardijn Community International Africa takes shape (Cardijn.info)
Pope Francis meets student leaders
Pope Francis met leaders from the International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS) at the Vatican on 20 September 2024.
“I very much appreciate your commitment to promoting social justice and integral human development inspired by your Catholic faith and its vision of a world ever more conformed to God’s loving plan for our human family," Pope Francis said.
READ MORE
Pope Francis addresses students
Gospel Resource: Deliver us from evil!
The prayer that Jesus taught his disciples (Matthew 6:9-13), is often referred to as the Lord’s Prayer. In his prayer, Jesus reveals his primary value, which is the Will of God (“your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven”), writes Pat Branson. Everything he valued was subordinated to this value.
All who choose to do God’s Will inevitably find themselves in conflict with those who seek to impose their own will on others. The Gospels show Jesus confronting the Jewish leaders about their self-serving behaviour. Threatened by his appeal to the people, they sought to have him killed.
DO THE GOSPEL ENQUIRY
Deliver us from evil! (Cardijn Reflections)
Reflection: Recover, repair, re-imagine
A recent Richard Rohr daily meditation shares the inspiration of Jennifer Bailey, writes Richard Pütz.
https://cac.org/daily-meditations/recover-repair-reimagine/
Now, Think patterns. When we recognize patterns, we understand our path in this life. Where are we going, and why are we moving in that direction?
READ MORE
Richard Pütz, To Recover is to Reimagine (Cardijn Reflections)
PHOTO
Book: Missionaries and Resistance in Guatemala
A former YCW chaplain in the Philippines and member of the Belgian Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary now living in Adelaide, Australia, Mario Trinidad has published a new book based on his service in Guatemala during the 1970s.
Entitled “Missionaries and Resistance in Guatemala” tells the story of an armed conflict that lasted 36 years from 1960 to 1996, claiming the lives of over 200,000 people.
YCW leaders were also among those killed, according to the late Belgian priest, François Houtart.
Missionaries and resistance in Guatemala
History: Patrick Keegan, lay pioneer
On 13 October 1964, Patrick Keegan, pioneer of the YCW in England and with the International YCW, as well as co-founder of the World Movement of Christian Workers (WMCW) became the first lay person to address the Second Vatican Council.
Indeed, it was the first time that a layperson had addressed an Ecumenical Council since the Fifth Century.
READ MORE
Stefan Gigacz, Patrick Keegan, lay pioneer (Cardijn Research)
Editorial Note: The purpose of the Centre International Cardijn Newsletter is to share information and promote discussion. Citing or linking to articles does not imply any endorsement by ACI of the authors' views.
Centre International Cardijn
Contact
Email: info@centreinternationalcardijn.org
Website: www.centreintrenationalcardijn.org