“Fatima Today: what paths to follow?” is the Theological Pastoral Symposium theme.

“Fatima Today: what paths to follow?” is the Theological Pastoral Symposium theme 

The initiative will take place from the 21st to the 23rd of June in the Good Shepperd auditorium in the Pastoral Centre Paul VI in Fatima

“Fatima Today: what paths to follow?” is the Theological Pastoral Symposium theme to be held from the 21st to the 23rd of June and intends to meditate on the meaning of the act of pilgrimage.

The symposium, organized by the Shrine of Fatima, will take place in the Good Shepperd auditorium in the Pastoral Centre Paul VI and intents to be a privileged contribution to the experience of the Shrine´s proposed theme for this pastoral year: “To give thanks to pilgrimage in Church”, integrated in the triennium 2017-2020, with the theme “Time of Grace and Mercy”.

“Among the verities that Fatima has proclaimed over a century is the fact that the human being continues to practice its pilgrim condition; more: among these verities is the fact that from Cova da Iria, this condition is emphasised, perhaps, the most clear-sighted metaphor of the human life itself”, wrote the President of the Symposium Organization Committee Marco Daniel Duarte, in the initiative presentation. 

The Shrine of Fatima´s Department of Studies responsible considers that the “pilgrim condition is in fact, illustrated in space, but gains full and unquestionable meaning, specially, in the time between the birth and the death of the human being”.    

“The image of countless lines of men and women who head to the Shrine of Fatima, by foot or by car, motorcycle or bicycle, plain or boat or even in a spiritual way from other places of cult dedicated to the Virgin of Fatima, spread around the world, along with the bright and white trail of the candle and farewell processions, is in fact one of the most expressive ones, it can be read in the seminar fold-out. 

Investigators from different academies, national and foreign, are invited to see the “pilgrim humanity”, with the intend to analyse the challenges associated to the “pilgrim condition”, as well as the act of pilgrimage to Fatima and pilgrimage in Church.

The three-day program, starts with the “pilgrim condition” reflections of Paulo Rangel, Lidia Jorge, Jose Rui Teixeira, Helena Vilaça e Jose Paulo Abreu. On the second day the theme is set in the “pilgrimage to Fatima” with interventions of Antonio Martins, Marco Daniel Duarte, Adrian Attard, Jose Manuel Pereira de Almeida, Ana Luisa Castro e o Fr. Carlos Cabecinhas, Rector of the Shrine of Fatima. For the symposium last day are schedule interventions of Benito Mendez Fernandez and Nunzio Capizzi.

It is also planned, in the context of the Theological Pastoral Symposium “Fatima Today: what paths to follow?”, a cultural evening with the theme «Exodus – Liberation Geometries», starting at 9.00PM on the 21st of June, in the Pastoral Centre of Paul VI.