The Cathedral is the spiritual center of the diocese, where the faithful and the clergy welcome the Bishop. The Cathedral, which over time has been the sign of the affirmation of Christianity in the area, has also been able to propose itself as a point of reference for the entire community ideally represented by the Pievi, the places of worship of the suburbs connected to it precisely through the figure of the bishop. We could say, with words dear to Pope Francis, from the peripheries to the center, with the Bishop shepherd who knows the smell of his sheep.
In this framework, the Department of Legal Sciences of the Piacenza branch of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, directed by prof. Antonio G. Chizzoniti, in collaboration with the Diocesan Curia of Piacenza, at the end of the year of celebrations started last October 2021, wanted to honor the 900 years of the Cathedral of Piacenza by organizing the Study Conference “The cathedral and the parish churches. Center and suburbs in the history and law of the Church ”which will be held on Wednesday 26 October from 9.30 in the frescoes room of the Bishop’s Palace in Piacenza.
«The 900 years of the Piacenza Cathedral have been an important opportunity to relaunch and give new meaning to centers of spirituality such as cathedrals, also through the rediscovery of strong ties with the territory – explains Professor Chizzoniti-. The conference is intended as a sign of the continuous and fruitful collaboration between the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart and the Piacenza ecclesiastical institutions through which to respond to the cultural growth needs of the entire Piacenza community ».
“Through a historical journey ideally initiated with the beginning of the construction works of the Cathedral of Santa Giustina, with this event we intend to analyze the role and meaning of the Church and in particular of the action of the diocesan Bishop in his interaction with the faithful and institutions on the territory of the portion of the people of God (in the words of the Second Vatican Council) which is the diocese »specifies Chizzoniti.
The works will develop three themes: the cathedral in the history of canon law; the cathedral as a cultural heritage and the cathedral and church government particular.
There are three reports dedicated to the historical-juridical reconstruction of the cathedral. Ettore Dezza (emeritus professor of History of Law at the University of Pavia) will reconstruct the relationships between religious institutions and civil institutions in the late Middle Ages; it will be up to Carlo Fantappiè (full professor of canon law at the University of Roma Tre) to analyze the evolution of the role of the bishop from the Council of Trent to Vatican II; of great interest is the third intervention by Emanuela Fugazza (associate of History of Law at the University of Pavia) dedicated to the reconstruction between the Church and Piacenza institutions at the origin of the Piacenza Cathedral.
“Cathedrals are an evident sign of the Christian cultural heritage, the interventions of Carmela Ventrella (professor of ecclesiastical and canon law of the” Aldo Moro “University of Bari) are dedicated to their being part of the civil and religious cultural heritage. the theme of cathedrals as cultural heritage and heritage of humanity and that of Manuel Ferrari (director of the Office for cultural heritage of the diocese of Piacenza-Bobbio) who will focus on the importance that the Cathedral of Piacenza has played in the relaunch of the initiatives cultural heritage of the Piacenza area in recent years through the numerous initiatives to enhance the entire Piacenza cultural heritage (civil and religious) »explains the professor.
The third theme looks to the present day of the diocese’s government activity also in the light of the experience of the Synodal Way in which the Italian Church has already been involved since last year. Antonio G. Chizzoniti (full professor of canon law of the Piacenza See of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart) will introduce this reflection by proposing an analysis of the figure of the bishop in the action of the pastoral care of the diocese also developed with the aid of numerous forms of collaboration of priests, religious and laity provided by the canonical system: “The focus on the experiences of the two dioceses of Lodi and Piacenza-Bobbio ». Anna Gianfreda (associate in ecclesiastical law of the Piacenza branch of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart) will introduce the topic by proposing a framework of the current canonical regulatory structure of the figure of the parish, Don Paolo Cignatta (Episcopal Vicar for the coordination of the Pastoral Offices of the Diocese of Piacenza-Bobbio) will focus on the recent redesign of the territorial organization of the Diocese of Piacenza-Bobbio with the establishment of pastoral communities and their impact on pastoral activity; Don Bassiano Uggè (Vicar General of the Diocese of Lodi) will deal with an ongoing experience, that of the possible revision of the parish structure of the diocese of Lodi. The last reflection on the experience of the Synodal Way and its meaning in the pastoral care of the diocesan bishop on his community is entrusted to Michele Madonna (full professor of canon and ecclesiastical law at the University of Pavia).
The works of the conference will be introduced by HE Mons. Maurizio Malvestiti, bishop of Lodi and concluded by HE Mons. Adriano Cevolotto, bishop of Piacenza-Bobbio. The two morning and afternoon sessions will be chaired by Andrea Zanotti (full professor of canon law at the “Alma Mater” University of Bologna) and HE Mons. Gianni Ambrosio, bishop emeritus of Piacenza-Bobbio.
“From the suburbs to the center: the Cathedral and the churches”