KAVOe Katholischer Akademiker/innen Verband Österreichs

 

Presentation

           KAVOe is the central board of the diocesan KAV associations of Vienna, Linz, Salzburg, Klagenfurt, Graz, St. Pölten and Eisenstadt. These organizations are branches of the Catholic Action and understand themselves as the official lay apostolate of the church. The people working in / for this movement and / or those feeling attracted to it, are intellectually, artistically and spiritually active, deal with science or education, participate in philosophical, religious and political debates, and / or they just want to live a reflective thoughtful life. As Christians, the members and friends of the association share and offer their knowledge and analytical capability as their commitment to the church and her communities.

At the national level KAVOe organizes two one-week summer sessions, one on socio-political and one on biblical themes. Besides, twice a year there are special study sessions offered prior to the annual council meetings. On behalf of its members, KAVOe publishes a quarterly review as well as declarations and press releases on current political and religious questions. KAVOe is also member of Pax Romana

 Mission

KAVOe is the joint voice of Catholic intellectuals from all dioceses in the country, engaged in the Catholic Action for scientific, cultural or social tasks in the perspective of faith and clear ideological positions. KAVOe makes room for open and interdisciplinary intellectual discussion on current themes, questioning their humane contents, measuring them on the kindness of God as preached by the gospel.

For this goal KAVOe works together with the diocesan KAV associations exchanging ideas, supporting projects and learning lessons from the dialogue with universities and other institutions and track down the fields of tension between theology and secular science. On this basis, KAVOe regularly takes position on current social and political issues, endowed with the competence of the baptized, confirmed and committed laity in the church.

The voice of Catholic intellectuals is communicated to the public in different ways: annual meetings deal with current and biblical subjects, a home page offers access to shared documents and local programs: the quarterly review “Quart” reflects critically the interrelation between religion, science, politics, society and culture, thinks liberal-minded and ecumenical.

 Recent events:

Seminar Vorau 2010: Thora-Evangelium-Koran. The Holy scriptures in Judaism, Christianity and Islam .

20 years after reunification. Europe: Community memory 20 years after 1989

 Themes in the review

About  the failure – The new pleasure for unsuccessfulness

The Church and the Human Rights.

Liturgy – disobedience from below.

Sexuality and the Catholic Church

Public declarations and press releases

For an asylum policy respecting the human rights

World financial crisis – sharpening common good awareness

Abuses: regret is not enough. Attitudes regarding authority and sexuality must change