VATICAN CITY, DEC. 23, 2010 (Zenit.org).- The Pontifical Council for the Laity signed the decree of approval of the statutes of the New Horizons community, recognizing it as an international association of the faithful.
In a letter, the founder of the community, Chiara Amirante, announced «with a heart full of joy and gratitude» that the Vatican dicastery «deliberated being able to proceed with the recognition of New Horizons as an international association of the faithful, approving the statute for a period ‘ad experimentum’ of five years.»
The decree of recognition and approval of the statutes, issued Dec. 8, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, makes it «a great gift of our sweetest Mother of Heaven and of the Holy Mother Church,» she stated.
With the decree of canonical erection of an international association of the faithful and the approval of its statutes, explained Amirante, «the Apostolic See certifies the ecclesial authenticity of an aggregation of faithful whose objective is the sanctification of its members and the building of the Church.»
She reported that the news was received by the community «with great commotion and surprise because it is an important new ‘seal’ of the Church that assures us that this charism is a great gift of the Holy Spirit, a wonderful way that the Lord has traced so that we will be able to undertake the holy journey with ever growing fervor, to make of each instant of our life a grace of love to his infinite love.»
The mission of the community is to intervene in situations of social disadvantage, and to promote human flourishing through a program combining the psychological, spiritual and human perspectives. It was founded as a non-profit voluntary association in 1993 in Rome.
The founder affirmed, «We could never have imagined this type of recognition by the pontifical council in such a short time and we receive this grace with great trepidation but above all with a great sense of responsibility to live this charism ever more radically so that it will bear abundant fruits in the life of each one of us and in the whole Church.»
«Therefore,» she continued, «let us intensify our commitment to take love to those who do not know love, light to those who feel enveloped by darkness; let us give witness always and in every way, with our life, of the fullness of the joy of Christ Risen precisely to those who feel imprisoned in the hell of despair and death of the soul!»
Likewise, Amirante invited the community members to live this time of Advent «immersed in contemplative prayer to welcome the Lord with all our love who comes to dwell in our heart.»
«Let us welcome and love him in all his word, in every brother who passes by, in the Most Holy Sacrament, in every little and great suffering,» she said.
The founder continued, «Let us remain united in his name so that the Emmanuel can always remain in our midst and illumine with his admirable light the nights of many!»
The decree will be given to the community on Feb. 4. On Feb. 6, there will be a celebration with the whole community, live from the Orione Theater of Rome, with the participation of singers Andrea Bocelli and Nek.
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On the Net:
New Horizons: www.nuoviorizzonti.org
