Sum

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n of the Catholic CHURCHin PO

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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…