SPEECHES AND CONCLUSIONS
FATHER PIERO COREA
(Schaffhausen, April 30, 2011)

Ladies and Gentlemen, Civil and ecclesiastical authorities…

Welcome to the First International Convention of the Apostolic Movement.

The chosen theme is a theme of great relevance other than of great topical interest:

“Church and lay aggregations after the Second Vatican Council.”

Distinguished and quite competent Speakers that will break into bits this topic so as to make us enjoy the beauty and depth of these speeches; will discuss for us.
But before leaving the floor to Mr. Cesare Rotundo, today vicar of the beloved President of the Apostolic Movement, Cettina Marraffa who due to unexpected commitments that cannot be delayed, despite her strong desire to be present, today cannot attend, here. May our loud and pleasing greetings and our willingness to work with her in the arduous mission of proclaiming the Gospel to the far ends of the Earth; reach her. Dear President your strength, your courage, your determination and your gifts put to fruit for the evangelization are for us a model to follow and nourishment to draw from.

Let me thank most strongly the one who is the Inspirer and Founder of this Movement, Mrs. Maria Marino, who physically absent, is certainly present among us with the spirit and her tireless and constant prayer. We thank her because with her daily “Yes” she allowed the Lord to use her for a great revival of faith and consciousness in the hearts of many. A proper and sincere thanks also to Monsignor Costantino Di Bruno, ecclesiastical central assistant of the Movement who, with his enlightened theology penetrates the essence of the Word of God and with the greatest wisdom is our sure guide in the understanding and actualization of the Gospel.

Now I leave the floor to Mr. Caesar Rotundo, who will bear the burden and honor to bring us the greetings from President Cettina Marraffa; and to read the introduction to the works prepared by her.

(After Caesar speaks): therefore, these were the words of the President of the Apostolic Movement that have introduced to the work; with wise foresight she stressed the importance of a convention here in Switzerland, in Central Europe, a tangible sign of the extension of this association; she dug in the furrow of the indissoluble link between the Church and the Apostolic Movement and, last but not least, the essentiality of education in the life of the Church.

Now we give the word to Monsignor Josef Rosenast Vicar General of the Diocese of St. Gallen: Monsignor Rosenast was born and raised in Appenzell and after obtaining his diploma at the Gymnasium St. Antonius Appenzell he studied philosophy and theology in Freiburg and Rome. He held several important pastoral and administrative roles until the appointment of Vicar General, that he still holds with seriousness and dedication.
Therefore, the word, to Monsignor Josef Rosenast who will carry out the link between the Lay aggregations and the local church.

(After): the intervention of Monsignor Josef Rosenast lit up with much valid arguments the very discussed theme like the relationship Lay Aggregations and the Local Church: Every aggregation in order to be ecclesial and in keeping with that which is the doctrine of the Church must get in obedience and in communion with the local Pastor of each Diocese.

Let’s give the word with joy to Father Gesualdo De Luca, Regional Assistant of the Apostolic Movement: already Parish Priest of the of “Santa Maria del Carmelo ” Parish of the Siano district in Catanzaro, professor of Systematic Theology at the Calabrian Theological Institute and of Sacred Scripture at the Institute of Religious studies. He holds the Master in Sacred Theology with a specialization in Biblical Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University and later in the same university he obtained the Ph D. in theology. He is an Associate member of the Italian Theologian Association since 1991. He has numerous articles on theological journals and various publications of which we will only mention a few:

Marriage and the family: The mystery of the “one flesh”, Institute of Book Propaganda, Milano 1995.
He made us and we are His, (DV = 5) Rubbettino edit., Soveria Mannelli 2009.

The Word to Father Gesualdo De Luca.

Conclusions:

In this meeting the identity of the Church has been clarified: what is the Church, but especially who is the Church; we have analyzed the development of the Church in this time of loss and of a growing “secularism” and we have rediscovered the awakening of faith through these particular routes that are the ecclesial movements.
Therefore, it seems important to me to emphasize some of the aspects already very well highlighted by our speakers.
First of all, we underline that, as Blessed John Paul II said in his message to participants at the World Congress of Ecclesial Movements (27 May 1998): “the originality of the own charisma that gives life to a Movement does not claim, nor could it, of adding anything to the richness of the Deposit of the Faith, guarded by the Church with passionate fidelity. Nonetheless, it represents a powerful support, a moving and convincing reminder to live fully, with intelligence and creativity, the Christian experience.” So based on what the Supreme Pontiff affirmed, the charismas recognized by the Church are ways to deepen the knowledge of Christ and to give oneself more generously to him, while rooting deeper into communion with all Christians. Taking up again the words of Pope Wojtyla:

“They (the movement), deserve attention from every member of the ecclesial community, beginning with the Pastors, who are entrusted with the care of the particular Churches in communion with the Vicar of Christ.”
Therefore, movements can make a valuable contribution to the vital dynamics of the one Church founded on Peter. When the Spirit intervenes, he always leaves people astonished. He brings about events of amazing newness; he radically changes persons and history… and it is here that the second point is inserted:

the Church rejoices at the fulfillment of the words of the prophet Joel, “I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.” “You present here, John Paul II said to the representatives of groups, associations and movements on the day of Pentecost, a few years ago; are the tangible proof of this “outpouring” of the Spirit. Every movement is different than the other, but all are united in the same communion and for the same mission. Some charismas given by the Spirit burst in like an impetuous wind, which seizes and carries people to new journeys of missionary commitment at the radical service of the Gospel, ceaselessly proclaiming the truth of the faith, accepting as a gift the living stream of tradition and instilling in every one the ardent desire for holiness.”

“But behold, suddenly, something that no one had planned. Here is, that the Holy Spirit, so to speak, had asked for the word again”… will we be able to hear Him?
We will be the extent that our heart will be truly ready to accept the Word of Christ; we will be when our mind will be authentically addressed to the elevation of our thoughts, we shall be to the extent that we will strive to be authentically Christian and therefore, authentic in Christ. This is my wish and I entrust it with you to the always Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, the angels and all the saints. Thank you.