Activitatea ASTRU în cadrul Eparhiei de Cluj-Gherla. Contribuţia asociaţiei în pastoraţia laicilor
A.S.T.R.U. Cluj activity in Cluj – Gherla Eparchy. The contribution to Lay’s Pastoral

Summary/Abstract: Summary: A.S.T.R.U. Cluj activity in Cluj – Gherla Eparchy. The contribution to Lay’s Pastoral. In many countries, throughout this century, associations of lay people have been formed which, „in closer union with the hierarchy, have persued, and continue to persue, ends that are properly apostolic” (Apostolicam Actuositatem) All the works, sustained and promoted chiefly by lay Catholics and whose form varies according to the needs of each country, constitute what is generally known by a distinctive and surely a very noble name: „Catholic Action or the „Action of Catholics”. At all times it came to the aid of the Church, and the Church has always cherished and blessed such help, using it in many ways according to the exigencies of the age. The field of Catholic Action is extremely vast. In itself it does not exclude anything, in any manner, direct or indirect, which pertains to the divine mission of the Church. Accordingly one can plainly see how necessary it is for everyone to cooperate in such an important work, not only for the sanctification of his own soul, but also for the extension and increase of the Kingdom of God in individuals, families, and society. Nowadays there is Catholic Action, in different forms as national associations, federations, or movements in many countries like: Argentina, Austria, Colombia, Spain, Malta, Mexico, Paraguay, Italy, Romania (Greek and Latin rite), Italian Switzerland and Venezuela. In Romania, in the Greek Catholic Church, Youth Catholic Action named Association of the Romanian United Students – A.S.T.R.U. was founded in 1929. The association was set up in the big Universitary centers such as: Bucharest, Sibiu, Cluj, Oradea. Conferences, spiritual exercises, charity activities were the main direction of A.S.T.R.U. till 1948, when the association eradication itself because of the politic situation in Romania. A.S.T.R.U. was reborn after 50 years of communism because young people from different communities wanted to have a reference point, a program and an identity which could help them get involved in the ecclesiastic reality. Among our activities we can remember: meetings of liturgical formative, evenings of prayer; evenings of prayer with members of different religious confessions; lectures and debates; the day of the Young Catholic; courses of formation and projects like: „Together for a best life”. A.S.T.R.U. CLUJ members are young people with a lot of energy and desire to be useful to the Church, young people that learn to take on them responsibilities and to belong to a team,... young people who desire to know men and to make new friends... Because you are young and therefore in formation, I exhort you to form you to image of Christ... take holy models and fix your ideals in the high”... this were the words that His excellence’s Florentin Crihalmeanu, our Bishop, addressed us on the Young Catholic Day.

• Details
• Contents