Vatican 2 + 50: A Cardijn Perspective - Manila Conference

Cardijn with Pat Keegan and Bartolo Perez

To mark the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, CCI will hold a conference on the theme "Vatican 2 + 50: A Cardijn Perspective" to be held at the Pius XII Centre, Manila from 11-14 October 2012.

The aim of the conference will be to launch a three year project by CCI to study the spirit and teachings of Vatican II and their implementation, particularly in relating to Catholic social teaching and the lay apostolate.

This will be done from the perspective of the spirituality and methodology of the late Cardinal Joseph Cardijn, founder of the Young Christian Workers (YCW) movement as well as a Council Father at Vatican II.

In the lead up to the conference, CCI will also launch a preparatory enquiry to begin the process of evaluating how far the spirit and teachings of Vatican II with regard to social teachings and lay participation have been promoted, understood and implemented.

Preparation for the event will also focus in particular on the two conciliar documents: Gaudium et Spes, Pastoral Constitution On the Church In the Modern World, and
Apostolicam Actuositatem, Decree On the Apostolate of the Laity.

Joseph Cardijn took part in the Council first as a consultant to the Commission on Lay Apostolate from 1962-65 and later as a Council Father in the Fourth Session of the Council after he was made a bishop and cardinal by Pope Paul VI.

"Cardijn gave three speeches on the floor of the Council on the themes: Religious Freedom, Young People and the Developing World, and Workers in the World," noted CCI President Stefan Gigacz. "He also prepared two more speeches on the Lay Apostolate and the Life and Ministry of the Priest that he was unable to deliver orally."

"We hope also to work on these six themes that Cardijn emphasised over the next three years of our project," Mr Gigacz added.

This entry was posted in Manila, Philippines, Stefan Gigacz, V2+50.