Azione Cattolica
Encyclopedia
The Azione Cattolica Italiana, or Azione Cattolica (Catholic Action
) for short, is a widespread lay Roman Catholic
association
in Italy
.
was disbanded in 1904 by the same pope because many of the its members were siding with modernism
. The set of events which brought to the foundation of the Azione Cattolica was critical in the excomunication of the modernism in 1907 and a prelude of it. The organization was established as a non-political one because the modernists used Catholic lay organizations to promote a political agenda of siding with Italian parties of the left (even of the extreme as per standards of the time).
One of the first main leaders of the Azione Cattolica was count Ottorino Gentiloni
.
In 1909 count Gentiloni was appointeed by S. Pius X also as head of UECI, a policical Catholic organization, and in such capacity he co-authored in 1912 with Giovanni Giolitti
the Patto Gentiloni which won the Ialian elections in 1913 (Elezioni politiche italiane del 1913).
In the thirties the original strongly anti-modernist stance of the organization started changing.
Since the organization was forbidden by the Vatican to participate in politics, it was not opposed by the fascist regime, unlike the Partito Popolare. Vatican support for Catholic Action resulted in hundreds of thousands of Catholics withdrawing from the Partito Popolare, and joining the apolitical Catholic Action – causing the Catholic Party's final collapse.
Catholic Action
Catholic Action was the name of many groups of lay Catholics who were attempting to encourage a Catholic influence on society.They were especially active in the nineteenth century in historically Catholic countries that fell under anti-clerical regimes such as Spain, Italy, Bavaria, France, and...
) for short, is a widespread lay Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
association
Voluntary association
A voluntary association or union is a group of individuals who enter into an agreement as volunteers to form a body to accomplish a purpose.Strictly speaking, in many jurisdictions no formalities are necessary to start an association...
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
History
In Italy in 1905, Azione Cattolica was established as a non-political lay organization under the direct control of bishops. It was established by Pius X after an earlier similar organisation, Opera dei CongressiOpera dei Congressi
The Opera dei Congressi or Work of the Congress was a Roman Catholic organisation that promoted Catholic ideas and culture. It was created in 1874, and observed of the positions of the Catholic Church, in particular Non Expedit. It began as a non-political group but moved into protesting the...
was disbanded in 1904 by the same pope because many of the its members were siding with modernism
Modernism (Roman Catholicism)
Modernism refers to theological opinions expressed during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but with influence reaching into the 21st century, which are characterized by a break with the past. Catholic modernists form an amorphous group. The term "modernist" appears in Pope Pius X's 1907...
. The set of events which brought to the foundation of the Azione Cattolica was critical in the excomunication of the modernism in 1907 and a prelude of it. The organization was established as a non-political one because the modernists used Catholic lay organizations to promote a political agenda of siding with Italian parties of the left (even of the extreme as per standards of the time).
One of the first main leaders of the Azione Cattolica was count Ottorino Gentiloni
Ottorino Gentiloni
Count Vincenzo Ottorino Gentiloni was an early leader of the Italian Catholic Azione Cattolica movement....
.
In 1909 count Gentiloni was appointeed by S. Pius X also as head of UECI, a policical Catholic organization, and in such capacity he co-authored in 1912 with Giovanni Giolitti
Giovanni Giolitti
Giovanni Giolitti was an Italian statesman. He was the 19th, 25th, 29th, 32nd and 37th Prime Minister of Italy between 1892 and 1921. A left-wing liberal, Giolitti's periods in office were notable for the passage of a wide range of progressive social reforms which improved the living standards of...
the Patto Gentiloni which won the Ialian elections in 1913 (Elezioni politiche italiane del 1913).
In the thirties the original strongly anti-modernist stance of the organization started changing.
Since the organization was forbidden by the Vatican to participate in politics, it was not opposed by the fascist regime, unlike the Partito Popolare. Vatican support for Catholic Action resulted in hundreds of thousands of Catholics withdrawing from the Partito Popolare, and joining the apolitical Catholic Action – causing the Catholic Party's final collapse.
Other associations related to Azione Cattolica
- Movimento Studenti di Azione Cattolica (MSAC)
- Movimento Lavoratori di Azione Cattolica (MLAC)
- Movimento di impegno educativo di Azione Cattolica
- Movimento ecclesiale di impegno culturale (MEIC)
- Federazione Cattolica degli universtitari italiani (FUCI)
- Centro Sportivo Italiano (CSI)
External links
- NON ABBIAMO BISOGNO (On Catholic Action in Italy), Pius XI, 1931
- Azione Cattolica Italiana Official Website
- Forum of Catholic Action - From Zenit.org