COMMUNICATION No. 3 TO PARTICIPANTS BY EMAIL – 13 October 2026
IFCA International Conference “Catholic Action: Synodality and Mission” | Rome, 15–18 October 2026
PDF to print in English – in Spanish – in Italian – in French
Dear Participants,
below you will find the latest updates ahead of the Conference.
We kindly ask you to share them with all the members of your delegation.
- Let us pray for Pope Leo XIV
On Saturday 17 October, an Audience with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV was planned for the participants in the International Conference and the IX Assembly of IFCA. We have changed the programme: at 11:30 we will pray, with Eucharistic adoration, for the health of Pope Leo XIV and for his Petrine ministry, together with the whole Church, and in particular for his journey to Latin America.
As he has asked us, we will be close to him spiritually.
https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/angelus/2026/documents/20261011-angelus.html
- Revised and updated programme
Here you can find the Conference programme, revised and updated on 13 October 2026:
https://www.catholicactionforum.org/congresses/catholic-action-synodality-and-mission/
- Conversation in the Spirit
Attached you will find a presentation of the methodology for the language-group work on Friday morning, 16 October. You will receive your group number at the welcome desk (see point 5).
- Communications during the Conference
During the Conference, notices will be published daily on this page of the website and also announced from the microphone in the hall:
https://www.catholicactionforum.org/congresses_posts/information-for-participants/
For the most urgent notices, a WhatsApp group will also be active. You can join it through this link:
https://chat.whatsapp.com/DrMI83anJKl0tDAbxzLZhr?mode=gi_t
The group will be closed at the end of the Conference.
- Welcome desk
The welcome desk will be open on Thursday 15 October, from 13:00 to 15:45, in the hotel lobby, in front of the “V. Bachelet” Auditorium, at TH Carpegna Palace / Domus Mariae.
Once your registration has been checked, you will receive your badge, your folder and your group number for the Conversation in the Spirit.
- Administrative office
The administrative office will be available for:
- payment of the annual IFCA membership fee;
- payment of the Conference participation fee, for those who have not yet paid (cash and card);
- reimbursements for participants supported through the funding projects.
Opening hours:
- Wednesday 14 October: from 15:00 to 17:00
- Thursday 15 October: from 9:00 to 12:00
Place: Offices of Italian Catholic Action, Via Aurelia 481, at the back of the Domus Mariae. We will be waiting for you in room no. 37, near the porter’s lodge.
- Volunteers and Continents Space
Four volunteers, two from Malta and two from Romania, will be with us. They will help in particular with the materials for the coffee breaks and for the Continents Space: you can hand these materials to them at the welcome desk. You will recognise them by their VOLUNTEER badge.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation!
- Reminder: Communications No. 1 and No. 2
Please read the previous communications again: they contain practical information that is still valid for your participation in the Conference:
https://www.catholicactionforum.org/congresses_posts/information-for-participants/
Have a good journey, see you in Rome!
With fraternal greetings,
The IFCA Secretariat
COMMUNICATION No. 2 TO PARTICIPANTS BY EMAIL – 8 October 2026
Dear participants,
Below you will find practical information. Please share it with all members of your delegation.
With fraternal greetings,
The FIAC Secretariat
PARTICIPATION OF THE COUNTRIES
Continental spaces
From Thursday 15 October, at the Conference venue, there will be a space dedicated to each continent (Barelli corridor). Each country may bring materials to share, such as brochures, booklets, photos, posters and small items. Thirty countries will be present.
Festival of the Continents – Friday 16 October, 9:30 p.m.
It will be an international evening to get to know one another better by sharing our riches: songs, traditional dress, cultural and religious traditions. The sharing will last no more than 90 minutes, about [15] minutes per continent.
We thank Rocío Ríos, head of the Aspirantes of Argentine Catholic Action and of the FIAC Children’s Coordination (together with Nazareno Aguirre). You will meet her on your arrival, and she will coordinate the preparation of the evening.
INFORMATION FOR BISHOPS AND PRIESTS
Please bring your own alb. We ask bishops also to bring their piped cassock (abito piano) for the Audience with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. The other necessary vestments will be provided in Rome.
ARRIVALS AT ROME FIUMICINO AIRPORT (FCO)
If you arrive during the day
Take the SIT Bus Shuttle from Terminal 3. The timetable is available here:
https://www.sitbusshuttle.com/en/stops-and-timetables/timetable-fiumicino-rome/
[Ticket price: €7, available on board / online]
Get off at the “Circonvallazione Aurelia” stop. Cross the road in front of you and continue to the left. In about 5 minutes you will reach Via Aurelia no. 481, where a tree-lined avenue leads to the Domus Mariae (DM). The DM complex includes the TH Carpegna Palace, the Conference venue, and the headquarters of the National Presidency of Italian Catholic Action.
Those staying at Casa San Juan de Ávila will be accompanied there from the Domus Mariae. Casa San Juan is nearby.
If you arrive very late at night or very early in the morning
A FIAC car will take you to your accommodation. We will contact you directly, based on the tickets you have sent us.
If you have not yet sent us a copy of your ticket with its cost, please do so as soon as possible at catholicactionforum@gmail.com. We need it to organise your welcome and for the administrative procedures of those receiving support through the funding projects.
We will send a DIRECT COMMUNICATION TO THE COUNTRIES regarding
1_ARRIVALS
2_ ROOM ALLOCATION AND ACCOMMODATION
Each country will receive a separate communication with the accommodation facility and the rooms assigned to its participants. Check-in at all facilities is from 12:00 noon. Those arriving earlier may leave their luggage at the headquarters of Italian Catholic Action.
PRESS OFFICE – SOCIAL MEDIA
Press release: you will receive the FIAC press release, which you may use for a press release in your own country. You can add information about your country’s participation in the Conference.
Interviews: together with the press release, the FIAC Press Office will share the list of participating countries. We are confident of your availability for any interview requests.
Social media: we will send you materials to share before and during the Conference. Please tag [@account] and use the hashtag [#…].
15.10 ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARIAT AND PAYMENTS
The administrative secretariat will be open on Thursday morning (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon) at the headquarters of Italian Catholic Action.
All payments may be made in cash (euros and dollars) or by card, as agreed over these past months.
15.10 WELCOME DESK before the start of the Conference
The welcome desk will be located in front of the Bachelet Auditorium of the TH Carpegna Palace. It will be open from 1:00 p.m. on Thursday 15 October.
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
THE WEATHER IN ROME in mid-October may call for a jacket and an umbrella.
Italian plug types: F/L
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Communication no. 3 will follow by email on Tuesday 13 October.
In a week’s time we’ll be together in Rome!
NOTICE No. 1 TO PARTICIPANTS – 28 September 2026
This is the first notice to participants; further notices will follow by Friday 9 October so that we can organise your reception and provide further information to the participating countries.
(PDF to print in English, Spanish, French, Italian)
Venue of the International Conference
Bachelet Auditorium – TH Carpegna Palace / Domus Mariae, Via Aurelia 481 – 00165 Rome
ARRIVALS
We would like everyone to send us a copy of their ticket so that we know their arrival time by Friday 2 October
Accommodation Venue
TH Carpegna Palace/Domus Mariae, Via Aurelia 481 – 00165 Rome
Check-in from 12.00
Casa San Juan de Avila, Via di Torre Rossa, 2 – 00165 Rome
Check-in from 12.00
Residenza “Pier Giorgio Frassati” – Via Aurelia 481 – Italian Catholic Action Offices
Check-in from 12.00
Conference languages
Italian, English, Spanish, French (simultaneous interpreting with earbuds and headphones)
CONTRIBUTION for breaks, the party, etc.
We would ask each country, if possible, to bring small quantities of typical local dry goods, both sweet and/or savoury, sufficient for 20–25 people.
GUIDE CHOIR
Please let us know if you are available to join the GUIDE CHOIR to participate in the prayer services through singing or playing instruments. There will be rehearsals on Thursday 15 October at 2.00 pm
Dress code
Formal for the conference
‘Sunday dress’ for the Audience with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV
Declaration of Consent
Photographs and videos will be taken during the international conference. It is likely that you may appear in one of these recordings. By participating in our Conference and Assembly, you consent to the International Forum of Catholic Action using, free of charge and without conditions, any video, audio and photographic recordings in which you appear for the purposes of its public image and any documentation.
Our privacy policy, including further information, is available online
COMMUNICATIONS to catholicactionforum@gmail.com
