Celebrating 40 years of foundation, the Shalom Community, International Association of the Faithful, is holding a Convention in Rome to renew before the Pope the vocation of evangelization of young people.
Newsdesk (28/09/2022 9:30 PM, Gaudium Press) Founded in 1982 by Moysés Azevedo in Fortaleza, Ceará, the Catholic Shalom Community celebrates its 40th anniversary.
The history of the Shalom Community began when Moysés Azevedo was designated by the Archbishop of Fortaleza, Aloisio Lorscheider, to offer a gift to Pope John Paul II during the Eucharistic Congress of 1980.
In July of 1980, Moysés de Azevedo placed himself at the complete disposal of God, the Church and the Pope to evangelize the new generation through a letter that he delivered to John Paul II.
Four Decades of Evangelizing Mission
In 1982, the first Shalom Evangelization Center was inaugurated. Today, in 2022, the International Private Association of the Faithful, recognized as such by the Holy See, celebrates four decades of existence.
Among the traditions of the community is a pilgrimage to Rome every 5 years. The purpose of the periodic pilgrimage is to renew before the Pope the disposition to the apostolate and evangelization.
The 2022 convention, with the theme “Shalom: Friends of God, Friends of Youth and Friends of the Poor,” is visiting the cities of Assisi and Rome from September 23 until next September 28.
Officials Attending the 2022 Convention
Besides the founder, Moysés Azevedo, Emmir Nogueira, co-founder, and Friar Sciadini, an Italian Carmelite, are present at the Shalom Convention 2022.
Other Vatican authorities are also in attendance. Cardinal Stanisław Ryłko celebrated the pilgrims’ arrival Mass.
Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, and Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer, Archbishop of São Paulo, are also expected to preside over some of the Eucharistic celebrations during the convention.
Father Saulo Dantas, community assistant and member of the 2022 convention team, explained that the event is very important for those who have lived in the community for almost half a century, and especially for the younger members of the community who can meet brothers from other countries.
Meeting With the Pope
Undoubtedly one of the culminating events of the pilgrimage of the members of the Shalom Community is the traditional meeting with the Holy Father.
In fact, to commemorate the date, the Shalom community met with the Pope at the Vatican on Monday, September 26, in the Paul VI Hall.
At the beginning of his speech, the Pope thanked the founder of the Shalom Community, Moysés de Azevedo, for his service to the Church. The Pope recalled that the inspiration for the foundation was born during the offertory of a Mass and therefore said:
“It is the Holy Spirit who makes the Church live, who drives it forward. And this He does above all in prayer, in a special way in the Liturgy. The Liturgy is not a beautiful ceremony, a ritual in which our gestures are at the center or, worse, our vestments, no! The Liturgy is God’s action with us, and we must be attentive to Him who speaks, acts, calls, and sends.”
Then the Holy Father answered some questions from the members of the community there and was able to speak about the role of Catholics in a frenzied world, about “spiritual youth,” and about the importance of holiness in building up the Church.
Expanding the Community
Shalom is currently spread across 26 countries such as the United States, Spain, France, Angola, the UK, and Argentina and has more than 10,000 active members. Members are engaged in social projects for children, youth, adults, and the elderly.
The community is also responsible for one of the biggest Catholic music events in Latin America, Halleluya. (FM)
Compiled by Florence MacDonald