Communion and Liberation (CL) is a movement in the Church which has "the purpose of forming its members in Christianity in order to make them coworkers in the Church's mission in all areas of society," according to the movement's website. It was founded in Italy in 1954 by Fr. Giussani.
"We all have the intuition that life, even with all its hardships, is fundamentally good," the event's website reads. "And yet, we have a hard time relating to many aspects of life: family, work, politics, society, even our own bodies and the very food we eat."
"What are we missing? Why do we often perceive reality as disappointing? What can help us reconcile with reality and engage life as it is?"
Those are the questions the Encounter will explore said Maurizio Maniscalco, the event's president.
"Is there anything 'more real than reality'? And yet the very word 'reality' sounds empty, or even abstract...Life will always be a mystery with its joy and pain, hopes and shattered dreams. Is there a path, a destination, a destiny that keeps it all together?" he told CNA.
The Encounter is set to take place Jan. 13-15 at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City, is free, requires no registration, and is open to people from all walks of life.