Welcome Address of Card. Mario Grech to the CEG Course 2026-2027

ENGLISH TRANSLATION Welcome Address to the CEG Course 2026-2027 Toward a New Humanism: A Synodal Way of Life I am very pleased to offer my opening greetings on the occasion of the fifth edition of the Course on Formation in Synodality, organised by the Evangelii Gaudium Centre of the Sophia University Institute (Loppiano). You have chosen an eloquent title for this new 2026-2027 edition: “Toward a New Humanism: A Synodal Way of Life.” It is not difficult to see that, in these words, you have sought to bring together the particular charism of the Focolare Movement, that of building a new humanism grounded in unity, and the journey of the Catholic Church at this particular moment in history, when she feels called by the Holy Spirit to deepen her understanding of, and live more fully, her constitutive synodal vocation. In a certain sense, the “prophecy of unity” – promoted by Chiara Lubich and her first companions from the very beginnings of the Movement – is the same prophecy that inspires synodal ecclesiology. As you well know, this is expressed in the very word “synod”, whose prefix syn conveys the sense of togetherness, of “we”, of communion lived out in practice. I am increasingly convinced that synodality is a theme that cuts across disciplines, reaching beyond the boundaries of ecclesiology itself. In a sense, it is like a common thread running through and connecting different fields of theological knowledge (and not only theological), including anthropology. An ecclesiology of “we”, in fact, can only rest on the foundation of an anthropology of “we”: a relational anthropology that makes clear that the vocation, fulfilment and ultimate destiny of the human person lie in communion. This is a communion that calls for the participation of each and every person, with his or her own gifts and charisms, in building up both the ecclesial community and civil society. Moreover, in an age marked by new and deadly conflicts, in which technological progress is harnessed to the destruction rather than the flourishing of humanity – raising profound and troubling moral questions – synodality must become a prophetic witness to peace and reconciliation. The connection between the theology of synodality and the Church’s social doctrine, of which the Encyclical Magnifica humanitas represents the latest expression of the Magisterium, is anything but artificial. Our hope at this moment in history is that a Church which lives out baptismal fraternity, communal discernment and co-responsibility in mission within her own life; which seeks unity without imposing uniformity; which strives to overcome divisions while valuing differences, may offer a credible and authoritative contribution to the journey of humanity as a whole. Synodality, in other words, is in its own way a response to the “piecemeal Third World War” of which Pope Francis spoke. As I thank the organisers and speakers of the Course, which promises to be exceptionally rich and stimulating, I would like to return with you to Lumen gentium 9, the opening paragraph of the second chapter of the Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, devoted to the People of God. In that text, God’s plan for humanity is proclaimed in particularly compelling terms as a plan of unity. As we read there: “[the] messianic people, although it does not actually include all men, and at times may look like a small flock, is nonetheless a lasting and sure seed of unity, hope and salvation for the whole human race”. Since its beginnings, the Focolare Movement has generously contributed to God’s dream of unity for the human family. This is particularly evident in your steadfast commitment to ecumenical dialogue, to mention just one of the many areas in which you are engaged. My hope is that, by embracing the ongoing synodal process wholeheartedly and drawing on your own distinctive charism, your Movement may help to build a new humanism among our contemporaries: one in which the other person is no longer regarded as a stranger or an enemy, but as the brother or sister whom each of us needs in order to attain the fullness of our own humanity. Mario Card. Grech