New Ecclesial Movements to meet Pope June 3 ; some 300,000 expected

( May31, 2006) Around 300,000 people from around the world are expected to turn up for a meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and ecclesial movements, set to take place in St Peter’s Square on the vigil of Pentecost. This was announced by Bishop Josef Clemens, secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, on Tuesday, May 30, when he presented the Second World Congress of ecclesial movements and of new communities in the Vatican. The 3-day congress began in Rocca di Papa, near Rome on May 31^st. The encounter with the pope will follow on Sat. The congress, organised by the Pontifical Council for the Laity has as its theme: “The beauty of being a Christian and the joy of communicating this.”. The theme was inspired by the homily preached by Pope Benedict XVI at the mass launching his pontificate. The three main talks will be entrusted to the Cardinals Christoph Schönborn, Marc Ouellet, and Angelo Scola. Bishop Clemens said requests to participate in the meeting had been very many but for logistical reasons, the number of participants was limited. For his part, Mgr Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, said: “The appointment Pope Benedict has set with movements and communities for 3 June is an important signal of continuity with the magisterium of late Pope John Paul II, who saw precious gifts of the spirit to the Church of today in these new aggregate realities. He said it will be an important milestone in the life of these meetings and a strong sign of hope for the whole Church.”