No one is enough for himself

Retinopera - the network of 24 Catholic associations, movements and organizations at national level to which eight million militant Catholics adhere - on the occasion of its 20 years of activity, on Sunday 27 November 2022 in Bologna, at Palazzo Merendoni, organized a celebratory event on the theme: Working and walking together. Catholics in the economy, in work and in social affairs. Horizons for the third millennium.

The meeting with the participation of Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, will be divided into four interventions: "Natality, demography" - Carla Collicelli (MASCI); "On the side of the poor" - Filippo Sbrana (Community of Sant'Egidio); “Ecological transition, energy communities” – Veronica Barbati (Coldiretti Giovani Impresa); “Civil society, common good, politics” – Leonardo Becchetti (CVX).

Followed by the speeches of the presidents of ten important aggregate realities and the representatives of the organizations adhering to Retinopera. It will be an opportunity to deepen "that being communion in differences", in which it is considered essential to build that common journey, hoped for by the Synod wanted by Pope Francis, between the organizations that make it up and with all associations and civil society , of various nature and of different origins, which animates the social and political debate. A style based on testimony and respect, mutual esteem and trust, typical of the highest Christian values contained in the principles of responsibility, subsidiarity, solidarity and participation of the Social Doctrine of the Church and which must always be affirmed and reiterated, albeit with forms and languages suited to time, even when contemporary contexts seem to go the other way.

«The occasion – asserts the coordinator of Retinopera – also wants to be an opportunity to forcefully affirm that no one is self-sufficient and that we are all interconnected. We are strongly convinced of the need to create inclusive and thinking relationships that allow us to look far ahead as a country, together with those world realities that bet on peace, human rights, where social tensions are recomposed with concrete choices. We need to build something big, which will recover the now lost trust of the citizens. To transform loneliness and sometimes even resentment into collective hope. A heartfelt thanks to all our bodies, also to AIPEC, Alliance against poverty, ASVIS, CNAL, CSVNET, Forum of families, National third sector forum, NeXt, Science and life, UNCEM who have agreed to share our reflection " .

Gianfranco Cattai

NP Dicembre 2022