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Sum
mar
y pr
esen
tatio
n of the Catholic CHURCHin PO
RTUG
AL
P O R T U G A L1 of the 28 countries
of the European Union
Population: 10,5 millionsArea: 92.000 km2
The most southern and western country of Europe
Independent kingdom since 1140.
Monarchy until 1910.Democracy since 1974
21 d i o c e s e s18 territorial in the European continent1 in Azores islands
1 in Madeira islands
1 diocese for the Army
Religious identity of Portugalaccording to the last census of 2011
81% Catholics
Quantity# Quality
The second biggest religious group in Portugal 4,6%:
Believers in God without any religious filiation
A strong TRADITION waiting for the NEW EVANGELIZATION
The History of Portugal, since the very beginning, is inseparable of the History of the Catholic Church
«The Portuguese soul is pregnant of the Divine»António Quadros on Fernando Pessoa
From Pope Alexander III, 1179, «Manifestis probatum», until Pope John Paul II, «Concordat» 2004.
CHALLENGES = providential difficulties laicism, secularism, indifferentism, consumerism,
religion as mere tradition/culture or private matter
The answer of the Bishop’s Conference THE WORK OF 7 COMMISSIONS:
* Christian education and doctrine of the Faith * Social pastoral and migrations * Culture and mass media
* Lay apostolate and family * Liturgy and spirituality * Vocations and ministries * Mission and new evangelization
PASTORAL LETTERS AND NOTES:* «On gender ideology»
* «Voting for a better Europe»
F A T I M A in the centre of the
spiritual geography of PortugalSynthesis of Portugal: Fado, Football & Fátima«An explosion of supernatural» - Paul Claudel
«It was not the Church that imposed Fátima, but it was Fátima that imposed itself to the Church»
Cardinal Manuel Cerejeira«A phenomenon of multitudes proves quality»
Vitorino Nemésio
Answer to the challenges Appropriate and purify the
ubiquitous popular religiosity New movements of apostolate
«Spring of the Church»
Promotion of the dialogue: faith and culture
Priority to the young people and families
«The Church grows up not by proselytism, but by attraction
of the testimony» - Pope Francis
«John, the Church is not yours; it belongs to Jesus Christ. You are not the governor of the Church; it is the Holy Spirit. You must only give Him a little help»
«A soul is a diocese sufficient for a bishop»
3 quotations to inspire the present pastoral work
Carlo
Bor
rom
eo
Giovanni XXIII
…and so
comments… questions…
