The Dicastery met the eight Bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Umbria, presided by Msgr. Gualtiero Bassetti, Archbishop of Perugia-Città del Pieve, on Monday April 22nd, on the occasion of their ad limina visit, the meeting of the pastors of local churches with the Pope and the collaborators of the Curia that takes place every five years in the Vatican, during which they explain the cultural, social and pastoral situation of the diocese and present, in particular, the most problematic issues.
The Umbrian church, guided by the charisma of St. Francis of Assisi, is especially committed, since the seventies, to pastoral and civilian care of families, with respect to both spiritual and material needs. In the eighties, the Lay Association “Pro Familia” was created to assist families in all areas and geared particularly to the training of new generations. To “accompany the journey of so many families struck by the serious economic crisis,” in 2009 a solidarity fund was established, with the support of banking foundations, businesses, associations, voluntary donations and collections in 600 parishes. The fund has reached a total of over two and a half million euros, and helps more than 1,700 families with a monthly contribution of about € 300.00. Indeed, one of the most pressing issues for the life and well-being of families is unemployment or job loss.
Cohabitation and separation are increasing in the region. If, on the one hand, the desire to build a family is strong, in the church of Umbria, on the other, the ability to live the marriage commitment responsibly and coherently is fragile. The pastoral team “Salvati dal naufragio” (Saved from the shipwreck) is committed to caring for families wounded in their affections.
The Dioceses of Umbria will celebrate, in the coming days, the first “Festival of the Family”: in the Diocese of Terni-Narni-Amelia, during the night of 24-25 April, on the theme “Family, become what you are”; in Diocese of Spoleto-Norcia, on Sunday April 28th, on “The Family: hope and future”.
From April 24th to 28th, in Nocera Umbra, the national ministry of the family of the Italian Bishops’ Conference will hold a national Week of study on the theme “Priests and Spouses, the source of educational fecundity for the Christian community”.
