Catholic Kermit

COMMUNION & LIBERATION — this morning was a special presentation in St Raphael Chapel here at St John Vianney College Seminary.  We had a keynote speaker, Christopher Bacich, leader of Communion and Liberation in the USA, introducing the latest book by founder Luigi Giussani called “Is It Possible to Live this Way?”  The lay ecclesial movement, “CL” for short, is worldwide with an active presence here is South Florida.  There are regular meetings nearby the seminary, that do small group spiritual readings (from Luigi Giussani’s books) and discuss their faith experiences together.  Besides priests (like Fr Chris Marino, spiritual director here & pastor of Visitation Parish) and religious who belong to the movement, the movement has consecrated lay men and women who are committed to lifelong celibacy, known as the Memores Domini, who keep things going (one man lives down the street from the seminary).

The regular group meetings are called School of Community.  [from flyers they handed out:]  In it, participants learn to perceive the sense of the Mystery, upon which our life depends, and to live the Catholic faith through a companionship within everyday life.  Community life is built through the School of Community, a weekly meeting open to everyone (no membership is needed) and held in places such as high schools, universities, parishes or workplaces with study and discussion about a text.  The text (the same for all communities around the world) communicates the experiences of Father Giussani’s charism in a systematic form that helps us understand our lives and life of the Church and of the world.  In South Florida, here are the current locations for meetings:

For High School students:

• Columbus High School (3000 SW 87th Ave., Miami, FL 33165), Classroom D16, Friday at 4:30pm.  Contact Paolo Cazzoletti (paoloc90@hotmail.com).
• St Thomas Aquinas High School (2801 SW 12th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312). Contact Tommy (tmaranges@hotmail.com) or Simone (simone_brusa@hotmail.com).

For College Students & Professors:

• Miami locations to be announced, Friday at 7pm.  Contact Luis A. Rivero (pater33@gmail.com).
• Ave Maria University.  Contact Brendon Ford (Brendon.Ford@avemaria.edu) or Naomi Amsbery (naomi.ambsberry@avemaria.edu)

For Adults:

• Visitation Parish (19100 North Miami Avenue, Miami, FL 33169) in activity room, Tuesday at 7:30pm.  Contact Elena Nunez (evnunez@bellsouth.net).
• NEW School of Community beginning in South West Miami.  Location and time to be determined.  Contact Eduardo & Martina Stadelmann (martina.stadelmann@gmx.net or 305-495-7597).

More info about Communion and Liberation on Wikipedia, CL USA website and CL international website.  Apparently, Pope Benedict XVI has been a supporter of this movement back when he was Cardinal Ratzinger and has his own weekly meetings on Saturdays at the Vatican.

The event ended with a beautiful bi-lingual Mass with Archbishop Favalora, another great supporter of the CL movement, especially here in South Florida.  — a great presentation by Fr Chris Marino and guest speaker Christopher Bacich (“Einstein of love”)  🙂