DAY I
Under the title “Times of Crises, Time to Share Visions and Actions – Searching for New Paradigms” the study session part of the ICMICA / MIIC Pax Romana (International Catholic Movement for Intellectual and Cultural Affairs) was officially launched on the 30th July 2012 at the university campus of the university of Vienna.
At about 130 Catholic professionals and academics from 44 different countries took the initiative to gather in Vienna for the international congress of ICMICA/MIIC Pax Romana. The study session part which will end on the 2nd August will be followed by the organization’s statutory session.
Thanks to the organizers also young professionals as well as students were invited to participate at the study session in order to get to know the movement of Catholic professionals better. Among the many students from Europe also participants from JECI-MIEC’s member organization AUCS Obnova are present at the ICMICA/MIIC Pax Romana study session.
The first day started with a warm welcome by the presidents of KAV-Wien and KAVO-Wien and a keynote-speech by Javier Iguiniz, International President of ICMIC/MIIC Pax Romana. Afterwards the unique methodology of the study session was introduced, which consits in input lectures followed by workshops and open-space discussions. After three inputs on the theme “communication” in general, the participants had the chance to deepen the topics in the areas they wanted. Participants from Obnova as well as Maximilian Niessen from JECI-MIEC took the opportunity to deepen their understanding of communication in the Church and ways of improving it by finding a “new language”. This workshop facilitated by Prof. Petra Aczél addressed among other topics modern means of communication and innovative kinds of campaigns, which proved themselves to be very useful also for JECI-MIECs future work and actions.
In the evening of the 30th July the participants of the study session were received at the townhall of Vienna by a representative of the major of the city of Vienna.
DAY II
The second working day of the ICMICA Study Session focussed on the challenges for global governance and the responsibilities of religions for the global future.
Among the challenges for global governance in the lectures and intensifying workshops afterwards three main dimensions were covered: The role of the European Union as a global player, the role civil society has in global governance and finally the environmental challenges which have an impact on global governance as well.
The dimension of “living together in a world of cultural and religious diversity” named by one of the lecturers consequently lead over to the area of the religions’ role for our global future. This thematic area very much addressed the field of interreligious dialogue including a presentation on “a Muslim’s vision in this time”.
The day was concluded with an optional evening programme consisting in a multimedia performance of St. Francis’ “Canticle of the Sun” – involving art, dance and music elements.
It is worth to note that the various discussions are getting deeper and deeper the more the study session develops. The atmosphere among all participants is very friendly, open and family-like. The open-space-methodology very much contributes to this positive atmosphere and is regarded as very useful and enriching among everybody.
DAY III
The third and last day of the study session part of the ICMICA/MIIC Pax Romana World Congress in Vienna started off with lectures and workshops concerning the topic “Ethics in Economy”. The afternoon programme was dedicated to the understanding of professional life as an integral element of Pax Romana‘s profile.
The afternoon programme also granted the chance to the young professionals to share their view on professional life and their own role in Pax Romana as an international organization.
The study session part found its conclusion in a multicultural mass at the cathedral of Vienna, where Fr. Luis Maria, International Chaplain of ICMICA/MIIC Pax Romana defined Pax Romana as “an organization for all those, who consider the plurality in nowadays Catholic Church”.