The continental level is fundamental for IFCA’ s existence and is promoted and supported by member countries. One or two countries assume responsibility to coordinate and to keep contact with the member countries. The International Secretariat Coordinators coordinate the work of the different age-groups in the different countries.
The continental level of the Church is IFCA’s main point of reference.
AMERICA
In America, there are seven member countries and eleven observer countries.
Member countries are countries where Catholic Action is present and is identified by the four well-known characteristics laid down in Apostolicam Actuositatem 20, is under the name of Catholic Action or any another name but is organised in a way which corresponds to the history and reality of each particular national association.
The request to be accepted as an IFCA member country has to be submitted by the Bishops’ Conference of that particular country or by the Bishop of the particular Diocese requesting to join IFCA.
Observer countries are countries in contact with IFCA mainly through participation in continental or international initiatives.
Some countries have been in contact for some time, others have just started, and with others contact has to be resumed.
Through this continental network, vital for IFCA, information about each observer country is being up dated. Through this work at Continental level, the situation in each Observer Country is being reviewed and the information up-dated.
CONTINENTAL BODIES of the Church
For the Church and also for IFCA America is one continent from SOUTH to NORTH
The bishops’ conferences meet as follows:
CELAM
SEDAC
USA
CANADA
