The Church in Mission and the Movements

The blossoming of new ecclesial movements before and after Vatican II was unplanned and unforeseen. While each is unique, almost all were inspired by one person who was able to communicate their charism to thousands of others. While these communities include all the Church’s vocations, they are characterized by active laity who can enter milieus which had seemed impenetrable to the Church in the past. These communities’ personal and collective witness of life builds friendships, leading to very fruitful relationships across all boundaries— ecumenical, interreligious and secular; others feel drawn to collaborate for the good of the human family. Many of these movements are now dealing with the challenge of being creatively faithful to the original inspiration after their founder’s death