A ZENIT DAILY DISPATCH
A ZENIT DAILY DISPATCH
Movement of Catholic Students
Roots in Switzerland
VATICAN CITY, 7 JUNE 2006 (ZENIT)
Here is the description of the International Movement of Catholic Students which appears in the Directory of International Associations of the Faithful, published by the Pontifical Council for the Laity.
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Official name: International Movement of Catholic Students
Acronym: IMCS-Pax Romana
Established: 1921
History: IMCS-Pax Romana was established at Fribourg, Switzerland, as "Pax Romana," at the service of the university world in that period of history in which Pope Pius Xl's idea of Catholic Action had not yet developed in every country, and before the existence of the model of specialized Catholic Action.
Originally designed as a Catholic confederation of students throughout the world, the purpose of the movement was to evangelize the university world, giving students a critical vision of reality and training them to become committed to transforming their own social environment.
In 1947 Pax Romana was established as two movements: IMCS as the undergraduates' branch, and ICMICA as the professionals' branch.
In the 1960s IMCS and International Young Catholic Students began working very closely together, which led to the establishment of the IYCS-IMCS International Coordination, and the drafting of a joint Pastoral Project.
Recognized by the Holy See as an international Catholic organization, IMCS is a member of the Conference of International Catholic Organizations. As a nongovernmental organization, it has consultative status with the U.N. Economic and Social Council and UNESCO.
Identity: The aim of IMCS is to develop a learning experience which helps students to become more deeply aware of their own faith in Jesus Christ as an experience to which they bear witness through their commitment to build up a more just society; to promote the apostolate of students among students; and to cooperate with all those who are working to build up a more equitable social order at the national, continental and international levels.
The association, which represents Catholic students at international level in universities and higher education, pursues its objectives by trying to spread Catholic student movements throughout the world; by providing students and ecclesiastical assistants of the member movements with the chance to meet in order to reflect on issues relating to the specific situation in each continent and on matters relating to international life; and by giving guidance for the member movements to act jointly, cooperating with other international organizations.
Organization: IMCS is managed by the International Committee, comprising delegates of the movements in every continent; and by the regional teams, [with] the members of the outgoing international team, and the candidates for the new international team as observers.
The executive body of the movement is the international team comprising the president, the general secretary, and the general ecclesiastical assistant.
Membership of IMCS is open to full members (associations of Catholic students in universities and higher education establishments), ecumenical members (national associations with a substantial number of Catholic student members) and corresponding members.
Membership: IMCS has 74 member associations in 64 countries worldwide.
Publications: Newsletter International, a quarterly newsletter in French, English and Spanish
Web site: www.imcs-miec.org
Headquarters:
Mouvement International des Etudiants Catholiques
171, Rue de Rennes
75006 Paris — France
Tel. (33) 1.4544.7075 — Fax 1.4284.0453
E-mail: miec-imcs@wanadoo.fr
© Copyright 2006 — Libreria Editrice Vaticana [adapted]
ZE06060723
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