The 50th edition of the International Women’s Day will take place in Trieste from 3 to 7 July.a Social Week of Italian Catholics, the first after the pandemic. The most recent edition (the 49th) was held in 2021 in Tarantoa) of this important meeting opportunity, born at the beginning of the twentieth century from the Catholic “base” eager to deal effectively with the most current social issues: work, education, family, condition of the vulnerable.
At the heart of democracy is the theme of this year, on which the appeal to the best forces of ecclesial and civic participation is grafted. The 50tha Week “aims to be a moment of generation of new styles, new practices and new ways to weave networks of collaboration in the care of democracy and the common good”. “Transversal recommendations but also suggestions and ideas on ways and initiatives to encourage participation in democratic life in different areas” should emerge (as stated in the Preparatory document).
This proactive aspect is very important to the Perugian delegation, which will participate in the Social Week in the person of Deacon Carlo Cerati, director of the diocesan Office of Social Pastoral and Work, with the two young collaborators Maria Luisa Cotana and Federico Poggianti.
After a journey of preparation and approach, the days from 3 to 7 July, in addition to many meetings and activities open to the public, include appointments for delegates, including “participation workshops”, made up of groups of around twenty people. Cerati will intervene by exploring the possible roots of electoral absenteeism, from which it would seem possible to deduce that many no longer believe in the possibility of real participation in the democratic process. It is not enough to acknowledge it: we ask ourselves, underlines Cerati, what to do to improve its attractiveness and to ensure that the citizen (and the Christian) feels and is truly involved in democratic participation and in the search for the common good.
The Italian Episcopal Conference, in the Communication on the Social Week arising from the recent General Assembly (20-23 May), underlines its character of continuity, not limited to an event but extended to a “process”, in harmony with the “prophetic stage” of the synodal journey. In a time that shows signs of crisis and tiredness of democracy, as well as burning issues of unemployment and declining birth rates and so on, the Committee, the Bishops underline, has nevertheless chosen “the positive narrative that speaks of participation, presence and regeneration of the territories”. In this perspective of the future, in which young people play a significant part (also in the Perugia delegation), it is important “to return to a clear vision, which comes to us from the Social Doctrine of the Church and from the Constitution that guarantees democracy in our country”.
Fundamental suggestions will be drawn from the speech of Pope Francis, at the conclusion of the Week, as can be deduced from his teaching, «which especially in Brothers all it tells us about the “best policy we want”; and it will be very important for everyone to listen to the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, who will speak on 3 July, on the opening afternoon.
Conference held in Perugia on 19 April on the theme “The prophetic vision of Alcide De Gasperi: politics at the service of man”, with the archbishop mons. Ivan Maffeis, the deacon Carlo Cerati and some representatives of public institutions.
Attached: The poster of the Social Week of Trieste
