The International Forum of Catholic Action brings together Catholic Action Associations and Federations of Lay Apostolate Associations organised at national level which concurrently abide by the four characteristic notes laid down by the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council in the Decree Apostolicam Actuositatem in numbers 20, 2-3, and which are also found in the Post-Synodal Exhortation Christifideles Laici in number 31.3.
Aim:
- to be a space where Catholic Action groups from different countries, regions and continents can share their problems and support one another;
- to analyse the global dimension of the big problems which contemporary society poses to the Church and to Catholic Action;
- to encourage and promote the “new evangelisation” while respecting the structural and pastoral realities of each Catholic Action Association.
Objectives:
a) to help groups get to know one another;
b) to promote initiatives aimed at supporting and developing the specific services which Catholic Action Associations and Federations of Catholic Action Movements are called to give, in keeping with their identity and respecting the diverse cultural, social and ecclesial contexts in which they operate;
c) to promote initiatives aimed at a deeper study of the problems which effect the life and mission of the Church at universal, continental and regional level;
d) to establish relations of dialogue and collaboration with all lay apostolate organisations at international level especially with those recognised by the ICO;
e) to represent Catholic Action Associations and Federations of Catholic Action Movements members of the Forum with the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life and the other bodies of the Holy See;
f) to represent Catholic Associations and Federations of Catholic Action Movements members of the Forum with civil International Organisations always respecting the Forum’s ecclesial nature and its aims.
Faced with the problem of abuse, the Forum expresses ZERO TOLERANCE towards any kind of violence and abuse and commits itself to promote and create a safe environment for all its members and for all those who benefit from its mission and commits itself to prevent and eradicate all type of abuse
Catholic Action groups, in the various countries, work so that the laity, whatever their age, children, young people and adults, find a space where they can be in communion with their parishes and their dioceses and where they can grow in faith and where they can carry out the mission of proclaiming Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God wherever they live and work. They pay special attention to the care of children and young people as well as of the most vulnerable. They collaborate in their formation and in their full huma development.
Within this framework, IFCA will do its best to ensure that each member country adopts a specific policy to provide a safe environment and to prevent and fight against all forms of abuse on children, adolescents and the vulnerable.
Thus, IFCA commits itself to help:
- – Catholic Action leaders to be specifically trained to be aware of the problems and the related damage caused by sexual abuse and maltreatment;
- – strengthen the human formation of its members, its priest assistants and of all those who participate in its activities;
- – ensure that its members are aware of the attitudes and behaviour which threaten their privacy and help them strengthen their self-esteem and critical judgement and teach them how to defend their integrity.
As CA is a fraternal community, it is evident that it:
- – has always based its services and probably its very existence on the culture of positive relations among its members of all ages;
- – has collaborated in the educational development of the very young and accompanied them as they grow up;
- – has contributed towards the integral human development of all those who benefitted from the evangelising and missionary activities carried out by its members.
This document, drawn up by IFCA, aims at giving general guidelines for the protection of minors and vulnerable persons. These will be updated in accordance with new legislative and social developments and on evaluations which are carried out from time to time.
(July 2024)
