Union of Catholic Apostolate
The Union of Catholic Apostolate (Latin: Unione Apostolatus Catholici, abbreviated UAC) is a " public international association of the faithful " in the Roman Catholic Church. In German-speaking countries it is also briefly called Unio.
Idea and History
On January 9, 1835 Vincent Pallotti (1795 - 1850) given in prayer the idea of a union, in the laity, priests and religious working together. In the following weeks, the idea began to take shape. At the time of Pope Gregory XVI. confirmed the Cardinal Vicar of Rome, Carlo Odescalchi, on 4 April 1835, the new foundation for the diocese of Rome; Therefore, this day is considered the official founding day.
Pallotti was the foundation of the name Union of Catholic Apostolate, where he catholic non-denominational, but in the original sense of the word understood as universal, general. The word apostolate is derived from the Greek and means broadcast. Vincent Pallotti understood this as a mission in the following of Jesus, the Messenger, the " Apostle of the Eternal Father ." With his idea of a general, universal apostolate it He wanted to make it clear that each person with God's saving action can contribute to the people responsible. Pallotti writes: "The Catholic, that is universal apostolate, as it can be all classes of the people together, is to do what anyone can do for the greater glory of God and for his own and neighbor eternal salvation and must do " ( OOCC III, 143).
By Vincent Pallotti spoke of a vocation and obligation of all people to the apostolate, he disagreed with the Church's thinking of that time. For its time, the mission of the Church was perceived only by the hierarchy, especially the Pope and the bishops; Lay Christians were as addressees of this apostolate, rather passive recipients. In contrast, the Unio existed from the beginning of the laity, religious and priests who mittrugen the tasks of the association according to their own ways each. You should renew among Christians faith and love, and spread throughout the world. It was and still is possible and required to use all suitable in the apostolate: all forms of pastoral and missionary activity, prayer, financial and material gifts.
Vincent Pallotti was his community Mary, the " Queen of Apostles " patron saint. Under this title he had Serafino Cesaretti for the Association to paint a picture. In the first year of its existence, invited the Union of Catholic Apostolate for a special eight -day celebration of the feast of Epiphany on ( the Epiphany ). The celebration made the aim of the association clear: it came to distribution, deepening and renewal of faith to rejoice in the variety of the Catholic faith.
As far back as Vincent Pallotti, efforts were made to dissolve the union again. Four years after his death, the name for almost a hundred years was changed to " pious missionary society ". It was not until the Second Vatican Council (1962 - 1965) confirmed the member for St. Vincent Pallotti Church image and Apostolatsverständnis. In subsequent years, the communities Pallottine efforts began with a contemporary renovation. First, this legal efforts played no role. In the foreground rather focused on the rediscovery and enhancement of the heritage of St. Vincent Pallotti. Only at the end of the eighties of the 20th century began the Pallottine communities to formulate a general statute to seek the Church's recognition as a global community.
Structure
Within the Union of Catholic Apostolate the Pallottine fathers and sisters were still alive Pallotti emerged. Other communities were born later. In Germany today belong to 14 Communities Association, a total of about 625 people: members of communities and individual members, women and men, priests and religious, married couples and singles. In the union, they all have the same rights and obligations. The diverse personal vocations, the various forms of life, bindings and services are united by the founding charism, by the same Spirit, by the same program and the fellowship with one another.
While the various communities in the union autonomy and its own statutes, are subject, there are at different levels so-called Coordination Councils that serve as moving centers of encounter, of prayer, education and cooperation to get the common spirituality and the various apostolic to promote initiatives.
Ecclesiastical recognition
The union was officially recognized by the Pontifical Council for the Laity on 28 October 2003. The General Statutes was approved at the same time for five years. Then was the final approval on 28 October 2008. The first President of the General Coordination Council and thus the global association of the SAC was Father Séamus Freeman, now a bishop in Ireland. Since 2008, the SAC Father Jeremiah Murphy is his successor as president of the UAC, which is now represented in 45 countries on all continents.
In Germany, the physician Dr. Alois Wittmann 2012 was elected as the third president of the company founded in 2000 the National Coordination Council.