In October 11-13, 2024, in Oradea, in the Aula Magna of the Greek-Catholic Theological Seminary “St. Three Hierarchs Vasile, Gregory and John”, the National AGRU General Assembly took place. It brought together delegates of the General Association of Greek-Catholic United Romanians (AGRU) from five Greek-Catholic dioceses in Romania: the Archdiocese of Alba Iulia and Făgăraș, the Diocese of Cluj-Gherla, the Diocese of Maramureș, the Diocese of Lugoj and the Diocese of Oradea Mare. The motto of the meeting was: “You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world” inspired by the Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 5, 13-16).
The Greek-Catholic Bishop of Oradea H.E. Mgr. Virgil Bercea greeted the presence in the Cathedral ‘St. Nicholas’ of Oradea of the AGRU representatives from all the Greek-Catholic eparchies in Romania. Mgr Virgil stressed on this occasion that Catholic Action in Romania, of which AGRU is a part, has a very important role and function in the Church, inviting all those present to always remain a light that illuminates this world and a pinch of salt that gives flavour to life:
‘Catholic Action is your action, as lay faithful. Can we really be that good soil that bears fruit a hundredfold? I am convinced that all of you who are part of these lay associations, the first of which is ACRO, are the good soil, capable of perceiving these seeds of Love in a different way and putting them into practice. Thank you for being here with us these days, in Oradea, and for seeking the way. (…) We pray to the Holy Mother of Good Counsel to help each of us to work the soil of our character, to make it fertile, so that we can embrace the seeds of Christ’s Love. Amen.’
More information in Romanian with photogallery
Photo: Codruța Fernea and Eugen Ivuț
