XVII International Seminar “Catholic Pastoral Care of civil aviation" 10-13 June 2019

Press Release

 

of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development

 

XVII International Seminar “Catholic Pastoral Care of civil aviation and integral human development” (10-13 June 2019)



[B0485]



The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development promotes an International Seminar entitled “Catholic pastoral care of civil aviation and integral human development”, which will be held from Monday 10 to Thursday 13 June 2019. The meeting will take place at Villa Aurelia Congress Centre, Via Leone XIII 459, Rome, with the participation of about 90 representatives of airport chaplaincies and religious and lay pastoral agents (there are now 92 Catholic airport chaplaincies).

The event will encourage an exchange of reflections and experiences to strengthen a common vision of the tasks and competences of the pastoral operators involved. The main themes will be: the airport apostolate through the concrete presence of buildings used as chapels; the aspects of this specific apostolate from the point of view of interreligious and ecumenical dialogue; job protection for airport operators; and the reception and assistance to passengers in conditions of particular vulnerability or poverty.

On the first day, a spiritual reflection by Don Davide Lees, priest of the Diocese of Rome, and an introductory address by Cardinal Peter K. A. Turkson, Prefect of the Dicastery, will be followed by the panel “The Church which goes forth: witnessing Christ in welcoming, listening to and encouraging travellers and airport staff”. At 12.00, the Holy Father will receive the participants in audience at the Apostolic Palace.

On the second day, the debate will be opened by P. Raniero Cantalamessa, Preacher of the Papal Household. Then, attention will be focused on the themes of airport pastoral care from a theological-canonical perspective, the value of the presence of the chapel at the airport and the apostolate of airport workers will be addressed. Finally, the possible situations of frailty of travellers will be examined. In the afternoon, a specific session organized by Aeroporti di Roma will be dedicated to the good practices related to pastoral activities in the sector.

On Wednesday 12, after the address by Mons. Bruno Marie Duffé, Secretary of the Dicastery, Mons. Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and Mons. Brian Farrell, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, will focus their speeches on the prospects of interreligious and ecumenical dialogue.

The meeting will end on Thursday 13 with a Holy Mass presided by Cardinal Turkson at the Altar of St. John Paul II in the Vatican Basilica.

[01009-IT.01] [Original text: Italian]

[B0485-XX.01]

06 June 2019