OFFICIAL NAME
International Confederation of the Volunteers of Suffering Centers
ALSO KNOWN AS
International Confederation CVS (Centri Volontari della Sofferenza)
ESTABLISHED
1943
HISTORY
International Confederation CVS was created in Rome by Monsignor Luigi Novarese (1914-1984). It was after a personal experience of sickness that he felt the need to create an apostolic movement of priests and lay people affirming the total baptismal commitment of the suffering Christian, not only as an object of care but as the active player in a specific apostolate to be performed for the benefit of the Church and society. Within the movement, which was founded jointly with Sister Elvira Myriam Psorulla, the Silent Workers of the Cross (see page 249) emerged later: this was a group of people with the task of guaranteeing the continuity of the movement, taking managerial roles and radically practising devotion to the apostolate by professing the Evangelical Counsels and through consecration to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. It was the need to manifest the unity of spirit shared by the Silent Workers of the Cross and the Volunteers of Suffering centers, also at the institutional level, that led to the creation of International Confederation CVS. On 21 January 2004 the Pontifical Council for the Laity issued a decree recognising the Confederazione Internazionale dei Centri Volontari della Sofferenza as an international association of the faithful of Pontifical Right.
IDENTITY
International Confederation CVS is a confederation of associations of the faithful devoted to the apostolate of those who suffer. Its purpose is to promote, foster and practise the charismatic insight of Mgr Novarese, who saw suffering to be a sharing in Christ’s Paschal Mystery where the one who suffers is an apostle and hence a prophetic witness to the value of all forms of suffering in human life. All of this is in a spirit of wholehearted response to the request for prayer and repentance specific to the spirituality of our Lady of Lourdes and of Fatima, which the Confederation considers to be the places of their spiritual foundation. In the pursuit of its purposes, International Confederation CVS systematically coordinates and promotes its member associations by running educational schemes and other activities to increase and spread individual associations and the Confederation itself; it publishes aids and other materials, promotes retreat days, courses and study conferences, meetings and pilgrimages, and organises training courses to qualify trainees to undertake rehabilitation, social-cultural, sports and recreational activities.
ORGANISATION
International Confederation CVS is governed by the General Assembly which represents the participation of all the member associations and their common apostolic project; the Bureau, which is responsible for coordinating the work of the Centres, headed by the Official responsible for the Apostolate of the Silent Workers of the Cross.
MEMBERSHIP
International Confederation CVS comprises about a hundred confederated associations with a membership of about 10,000, and is present in 12 countries, as follows: Africa (2), Asia (1), Europe (6), North America (1) and South America (2).
PUBLICATIONS
L’Ancora, a monthly information and educational journal; L’Ancora nell’unità di salute, a two-monthly scientific research and discussion journal.
WEB SITE
HEADQUARTERS
Confederazione Internazionale dei Centri Volontari della Sofferenza
Via Monte del Gallo, 105/111 - 00165 Roma - Italy
Tel. [+39]06.39674243 - Fax 06.39637828
Email: direzionegenerale@sodcvs.org or apostolato@sodcvs.org
