The Catholic Association of Propagandists (ACdP) and the San Pablo CEU University Foundation have presented the 27th edition of the Catholics and Public Life Congress, which will take place from November 14 to 16 in Madrid under the motto «You, Hope» as a call to direct our gaze toward God and also toward our neighbor: «Hope is something a Catholic cannot renounce».
The co-directors, José Masip and María San Gil, highlighted that this year the event will feature a greater spiritual dimension, with adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament, solemn Masses, and confessions throughout the weekend.
The poster for this edition shows a dark world illuminated by a beam of light that shines on the only character carrying the cross. «Carrying the cross on our chest will always give us the hope to continue the path toward Christ», added Masip.
Words from María San Gil: a more spiritual Congress
The vice-general secretary of the ACdP, María San Gil, emphasized that, in addition to the high-level speakers and roundtables, this year an effort has been made to strengthen the spiritual dimension of the gathering:
«The Congress unfolds as it does every year, it has magnificent speakers that you already know, but I would like to highlight something else, which is that we have tried to give it a bit more spirituality, and so this year we are inaugurating the exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament… We will have exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament from Friday afternoon and all day Saturday. We have asked the movements and the different realities to accompany us in those hours of accompanying the Lord».
San Gil highlighted that the adoration constitutes «an additional point, a point of growth for the Congress as well», since it involves movements and ecclesial realities in something as special as «adoring the Lord during all those hours in which He will be exposed».
She also pointed out that the Masses on Friday and Saturday «will leave the small chapel and will be celebrated in the lecture hall, because last year we couldn’t fit». In addition, the confessions initiated in the previous edition are maintained, with more priests available: «We believe that enhancing that spiritual point of the Congress makes everything absolutely complete».
Manifesto: hope in the face of the cultural crisis
The Congress is based on the manifesto read by María San Gil, in which the cultural and spiritual crisis of the West is addressed, with references to Rilke, Fabrice Hadjadj, Leo XIV, and Pope Francis.
«True Christian hope is not a passing state of mind nor an excuse to avoid the challenges of our time, but a call to be present more than ever in public life», proclaims the document.
The text concludes with the words of Pope Leo XIV at the delivery of the fisherman’s ring, exhorting to «not stop casting the net to immerse the hope of the Gospel in the waters of the world».
Young people as protagonists of the gathering
The Congress will once again give a central role to young people, who in previous editions have starred in especially memorable sessions. For the organizers, their participation is key to projecting the message of hope and unity that inspires this call into the future.