ANTONIO CANTISANI

ARCHBISHOP OF CATANZARO-SQUILLACE

DECREE
of diocesan acknowledgement
of the APOSTOLIC MOVEMENT

In 1979 in this diocesan territory the Apostolic Movement through the work of Mrs Maria Marino has had its origin.

Such lay aggregation has experienced a journey that although among no few difficulties, revealed itself to be a time of purification, grace and apostleship:
– the criteria of ecclesiology have been acquired;
– maximum care was given to the listening of the Word of God through communitarian catecheses;
– some meaningful ecclesial fruits have been accomplished which are among other things well 21 presbyters.

For this noteworthy progress of goodness in date 15 August 1991 I have acknowledged the Apostolic Movement ” ad experimentum ” for a 5 year period. After having heard the Presbyterian Council, that had manifested some perplexities, such a period was extended.

Today, since we note that the life of the Apostolic Movement has reached the necessary juridical and pastoral conformity to an adequate ecclesial configuration, I came to the determination of recognising the Apostolic Movement as an authentic lay aggregation in a definite way.

Therefore,

– in the awareness that every journey of ecclesial experience has long periods for maturing its own identity and making the meaning of the charisma, a gift of God to his Church, shine all the more;

– having confidence that the Apostolic Movement wants to answer with faithfulness to its mission with the evangelization and the charity, so that it will make every effort to follow through its personal charisma in obedience to the Church and in perfect adhesion to her doctrine;

– moreover, having confidence that the presence of the Apostolic Movement in diocese, cradle of its existence, will further promote the communion with the other lay aggregations;

– in the certainty that the presbyters that either specifically come from the Apostolic Movement or adhere to it will be exemplary for the big opening to the diocesan clergy in a journey of togetherness finalised to build this portion of Church; and in the community where they are called to carry out the ministry, they will want “to make of the Church the house and school of communion” as the Pope says at n. 43 of the Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte; valorising more and more the charisma of the lay persons and favouring the plurality of the aggregative presences in the
reality of the only people of God;

– having noted that, already for a long time, in several dioceses in Italy the presence of the Apostolic Movement is by the respective Bishops praised and blessed for the fulfilled apostleship in the parishes where fruits of goodness are not wanting;

– after having heard the Council of Consulters;

– with the present deed

I recognise
in a definitive manner
the existence and the activity
of the APOSTOLIC MOVEMENT
in the diocesan Church of Catanzaro-Squillace
and I contextually approve
its statute.

I entrust the spiritual and pastoral journey of the Apostolic Movement to the Most Holy Trinity and to Mary, Mother of the Redeemer, light of the path of peoples in this just started Third Christian Millennium.

May the Apostolic Movement honour this gift with the holiness of life and offer the gift of a service in the communion of the only Spirit to the future Shepherds of the Church.

Catanzaro, 18 January 2001, beginning of the Week of Prayer for the ‘unity of Christians