n Unforeseen Phenomenon: The Ecclesial Movements Many have defined ecclesial movements as “fruits of the ACouncil.”1 The reason lies in the fact that they were founded and began to develop in the years following the great conciliar assembly of Vatican II. We are dealing with the “renewal move- The Church in Mission and ments” within the Catholic Church, a new constellation in the ecclesial firmament that appeared in the course of just a few de- the Movements cades.2 The phenomenon of movements with which this presenta- Roberto Catalano tion deals was characterized by an unpredictability that suggests Sophia University Institute the Spirit’s intervention, as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger emphasized in 1998.3 The German theologian who would become Pope Bene- dict XVI put the movements’ unexpected appearance in the con- text of the ecclesial panorama during a difficult phase, one almost Abstract: The blossoming of new ecclesial movements before and after of darkness.4 Ratzinger’s theological analysis of the movements Vatican II was unplanned and unforeseen. While each is unique, al- most all were inspired by one person who was able to communicate 1. See Massimo Faggioli, Sorting Out Catholicism: A Brief History of the New Ecclesial Movements (Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical, 2014), 6. their charism to thousands of others. While these communities include 2. With regard to the link between these realities and the Council, it should be all the Church’s vocations, they are characterized by active laity who borne in mind that the bishops meeting in Rome between 1962 and 1965 dedicated can enter milieus which had seemed impenetrable to the Church in the rather little attention to Catholic associationism. The work concerning the laity, and the movementism to which they were connected, refers particularly, and almost ex- past. These communities’ personal and collective witness of life builds clusively, to the Catholic Action. The reason for this interest can be found in the ef- friendships, leading to very fruitful relationships across all boundar- fort to revive the traditional elite of Catholic laypeople. Some indications, especially ies— ecumenical, interreligious and secular; others feel drawn to col- those coming from the Catholic Church in France, seemed to offer encouragement in this respect, having come together in the so- called theology of the laity. laborate for the good of the human family. Many of these movements 3. In fact, Cardinal Ratzinger had affirmed the following on the occasion of the first are now dealing with the challenge of being creatively faithful to the convention for reflection on the movements within the Catholic Church. “But sud- original inspiration after their founder’s death. denly here was something that no one had planned. Here the Holy Spirit himself had, so to speak, taken the floor. The faith was reawakening precisely among the young, who embraced it without ifs, ands, or buts, without escape hatches and loopholes, and who experienced it in its totality as a precious, life- giving gift.” (Josef Ratzinger, “The Theological Locus of Ecclesial Movements,” www.crossroadsinitiative.com/media /articles/theological- locus- of- ecclesial- movements- joseph- cardinal- ratzinger/). Claritas: Journal of Dialogue and Culture, Vol. 8, No. 2 (2019) 4. In fact, Benedict referred to Karl Rahner’s analysis. “In those times, Karl Rahner 28–40 © 2019 and others used to talk about a ‘wintertime’ in the Church; in reality it appeared CLARITAS | Journal of Dialogue & Culture | Vol. 8, No. 2 (2019) 28 was also enriched by personal experience, a precious element that the ecclesial realities coming to life during World War II with often informed the different spiritualities that took form during the birth of Opus Dei, Cursillos de Christianidad, and the Foco- the second half of the twentieth century.5 lare Movement. These were the movements opening up the new The laity assumed an increasingly active and visible role season, with the newness of their gospel experience and their within the Catholic ecclesial structure during the years of the worldwide reach. Council and after. This Roman- universal event in itself was a fruit of Catholic movements in a certain sense, even if they had a Diversity and common elements different nature and origin. The experience and reflection stem- These new movements within the Catholic Church possess a vari- ming from the so- called reform movements—biblical, liturgi- ety of distinguishing characteristics. In contrast with the Catholic cal, ecumenical, and patristic—had a central role in the remote Action, they are not one single phenomenon. They vary quite a preparation and long process leading up to Vatican II.6 They left bit. In fact, the Catholic movement disappears with these commu- an important mark on European Christian life until the middle nities, making room for a picture of movements which are quite of the twentieth century. In spite of this, none of these manifes- different from one another.7 At the same time, all of these new tations of Christian movements ever had a direct influence on ecclesial realities bear marks that can be considered common de- nominators. The vast majority are composed of laity, and they fol- low a charismatic leader who proposes a radical commitment to that a deep freeze had replaced the springtime after the flowering during the Coun- live the gospel message in its entirety. cil; fatigue had taken the place of the new dynamism. Rahner’s expression was The movements are born because a charism is given to one of completely understandable; it depicted the experience of all of us.” (Ratzinger, “The the faithful personally and it becomes the principle that educates Theological Locus”). 5. “It was a wonderful event for me personally when I came into closer contact with and gathers the others, giving life to a community of believers movements such as the Neocatechumenate, Communion and Liberation, and Focolare who continue to reveal how persuasive the Christian event is.8 At and experienced the energy and enthusiasm with which they lived the faith and were the same time, they identify their charism with a specific aspect impelled by their joy in it to share with others the gift they had received” (Ratzinger, “The Theological Locus”). of the gospel message and are sure to offer their members a formal 6. The phenomenon of Catholic associationism during the nineteenth century was characterized more by the social and political dimensions rather than by the spiri- tual (See Massimo Faggioli, “Between Documents and Spirit: The Case of the New 7. See Michael Hochschild, “Laboratori del futuro: Aspetti sociologici delle nuove Catholic Movements,” in After Vatican II. Trajectories and Hermeneutics ed. J. L. Heft comunità spirituali,” in La Chiesa fiorisce. I movimenti e le nuove comunità, ed. Chri- and J. O’Malley, 1–22, 6 (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2012), and Andrea Ric- stoph Hegge, 11–36, 17 (Rome: Città Nuova, 2006). cardi, “La nascita dei Movimenti Ecclesiali nella Chiesa italiana del Novecento: Un 8. See Angelo Scola, “Movimenti ecclesiali e nuove comunità nella missione della quadro storico,” in Paolo VI e Chiara Lubich. La profezia di una Chiesa che si fa dialogo, Chiesa: Priorità e prospettive,” in, La Bellezza di essere cristiani oggi. I movimenti nella ed. P. Siniscalco e X. Toscani, 12–23 (Brescia: Istituto Paolo VI, Edizioni Studium, Chiesa, Prontificium Consilium Pro Laicis, 57- 80, 65 (Vatican City: Libreria Edi- and Rocca di Papa (Rome): Centro Chiara Lubich, Pafom). trice Vaticana, 2007). CLARITAS | Journal of Dialogue & Culture | Vol. 8, No. 2 (2019) 29 structure for studying the spirituality born from their respective In fact, the spirituality of these new movements and ecclesial charismatic leader. communities is shared by priests and members of religious orders They also show a remarkable variety of forms for association, and congregations. The spiritual life of some communities of con- and this aspect makes them a real galaxy within the Catholic secrated men or women has been renewed and animated by the Church.9 I would emphasize an aspect that constitutes something spirituality of these laypersons. This is why someone hazarded to significantly new, however. In the past, the laity was accustomed to call it the “Pentecost of the laity.”10 In general, the phenomenon receiving spirituality from monasteries or from consecrated com- has enriched the Catholic Church’s modernity, taking some of munities. Today, the reverse is true, through this new phenomenon. the great social and ecclesiological issues as priorities for being Christian. Then, with regard to their respective beginnings, these communities arose in different geographic and cultural contexts— 9. This is what justifies the manifold definitions and categories into which they have been divided by those studying the phenomenon starting from the second half of the initially in Europe, but subsequently in Asia, South America, Af- 1980s. They have been differentiated as “reform” movements, “mobilization” move- rica, and North America as well.11 ments, and “church” movements (Alberto Melloni, ed., Movements in the Church [Norwich, UK: SCM Press, 2003,13–35]); and as “lay” movements, “spiritual” For a New Evangelization: movements, and “ecclesial” movements (Jean Beyer, Il diritto della vita consacrata [Milan: Ancora, 1989, 437–52]). Vanzan offers an interesting description, proposing Personal and Communitarian Witness a twofold distinction among the new movements in the Catholic Church: “move- Besides the capacity to penetrate quite diverse social environments, ments with an intra- ecclesial and apostolic commitment” and “movements with a Christian animation with respect to realities in the world” (P. Vanzan, “Elementi a good number of these ecclesial realities have demonstrated and comuni e identificativi dell’attuale fenomeno movimentista intraecclesiale con cenni continue to demonstrate great mobility and a remarkable ability a rischi e speranze” in Fedeli Associazioni Movimenti, ed. Gruppo Italiano di Docenti to spread into different geographic and ecclesial contexts, where di Diritto Canonico [Milan: Glossa, 2002, 187–260]).