Una big party with Papa Francesco to thank him for the beatification of Armida Barelli occurred last year: it is the objective of the appointment that the next 22th April will gather inPaul VI Hall of the Vatican members, groups and assistants of theItalian Catholic Action, students, faculty and staff of theCatholic University of Sacred Heart and belonging toMissionary Institute of the Kingship of Christ.
Almost a year after the beatification ceremony held in the Milan cathedral on 30 April 2022, the three main realities that the blessed helped to found - the Italian Catholic Action (ACI), the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart (UCSC) and the Missionary Institute of the Kingship of Christ (ISM) - invite you to participate in the meeting of reflection and prayer with the pontiff and to celebrate the figure of Armida Barelli and his tireless work for the formation of young women for a new ecclesial, cultural and social role which spanned the entire first half of the twentieth century and continues to inspire our times as well.
“With his work – he wrote Pope Bergoglio in the preface to the book "La zingara del buon Dio" by Ernesto Preziosi - contributed decisively to the promotion of young Christian women in the first half of the twentieth century, to the process of integration between North and South, extending its action also in the international arena. A job that has been able to combine trust in God and concrete administrative efficiency, fidelity that is not prone but "standing" to the Church and to her pastors, the fruit of awareness of the contribution of lay women in the Church and of the determined conviction about the decisive function of organized associations, structured on a national level and articulated on a local level”.
The hearing is held on the eve of 99th Day for the Catholic University “For the love of knowledge. The challenges of the new humanism" (23 April 2023), an initiative to raise awareness of the University's contribution to the country's cultural and social life. It was Blessed Armida who conceived the day almost 100 years ago with Fr. Augustine Gemelli.
The day's program includes entry into the Paul VI Hall starting at 9.00. From 10.00 the welcome and animation will begin with readings, video projections and testimonies on the life and works of Armida Barelli. At 12.00 there will be a meeting with Pope Francis and at the end of the audience Holy Mass will be celebrated in St. Peter's Basilica presided over by mgr. Mario Enrico Delpini, Archbishop of Milan and President of the Giuseppe Toniolo Institute of Higher Studies.
Many accessions have already arrived at the link https://azionecattolica.it/incontri/per-armida-udienza-con-papa-francesco/ while the promotional initiatives by the three realities that organize the event continue.
