PRESS RELEASE | FAFCE Board: Families and family associations, builders of peaceVác, 6 May 2022
FAFCE Board gathered in the city of Vác (Hungary), from the 4th to the 6th of May. These three days meeting represents an important moment of dialogue for Catholic Family Associations in Europe, during which the main guidelines of their action at the European level are decided. The event was hosted by the Diocese of Vác and co-organised by the Family Office of the Hungarian Bishops’ Conference, the Human Dignity Centre, FAFCE Member, and the Seventy-Two Disciples Movement, FAFCE Observer Organisation. On the 4th of May an inaugural conference took place, providing an opportunity for a meeting between church, civil society and government decision-makers, who reflected together starting from the sentence of St. John Paul II: “The family is the centre and the heart of the civilisation of love”. The President-elect of Hungary, Katalin Novak, also intervened with a video-message, expressing her support for the work of FAFCE and encouraging family associations to work together and intensify their cooperation in witnessing the beauty of the family in Europe. The Board of the Federation, during its works, adopted a resolution focused on the terrible war in Ukraine, entitled “Families and family associations are builders of peace”. FAFCE recalled “that the family has always been the place where freedom, democracy and solidarity were preserved in times of war and totalitarianism. Mothers and fathers, beyond their nationalities, do not want war. The family is the school of peace.” The Board also accepted new Members within the Federation: The Human Dignity Centre (Hungary) became a full Member. The Union of Centres and Counselling for Family (Slovakia) and the OpGROEI Symposium (Netherlands) were admitted as new Observers, candidate to full membership. Gezinplatform (Netherlands) was accepted as an Associated Member Organisation of the Federation. This is the first time that FAFCE welcomes in its board Dutch family organisations. Exchanges took place also on the recent Plenary Session of the Pontifical Academy for Social Sciences, to which FAFCE President intervened, speaking about the role of Family Associations and the preparation of the World Meeting of Families (Rome, 22-26 June 2022). The Board of FAFCE will meet again for the XXV Anniversary, that will be celebrated in Rome on the 10th of June with a private audience with His Holiness Pope Francis. The next ordinary Board Meeting will take place in Paris, between the 18th and the 20th of October 2022. |
