Preface

The EUROPEAN FORUM OF NATIONAL LAITY COMMITTEES is an organisation the purpose of which is to promote regular contacts in Europe between the National Committees and Councils of the Laity, or corresponding bodies that can be seen as National Committees.

In order to achieve this purpose the Forum aims: - to facilitate the exchange of experiences and information between the members on questions of European importance, especially in relation to problems on the Church’s mission in the world and on pastoral work. - to promote studies on present day problems in the Church and in the world. Study Meetings are organised every two years, with different themes and experts invited to share their expertise on specific problems. - to maintain contacts with the Councils of European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE, CCPE, UCESM), Organisations of the Church at European level (COMECE, EZA, Deutsche Katholikentage, Semaines Sociales), the Pontifical Council for the Laity, the Catholic International Organisations (CICO), Churches and Organisations of other Christian traditions and ecumenical movements with structures on European level. This booklet should be a valuable aid to national laity committees. The implementation of the Gospel and its Social Ethics is an important task for a humane future of Europe. The need to devise and implement strategies which will prove effective in the specific circumstances of each European country obviously requires specialist local programmes. Yet it is also true that there are many respects in which the problems which we face have common elements. A greater exchange of views, more regional meetings, examples of initiatives taken, would all be of help to every national committee. The Liaison Committee hope that this booklet will make it possible for national committees to build stronger links with their colleagues throughout Europe.

Maria Draaijers / Sigrid Schraml