The month of September promises to be a particularly busy one for Bishop Alain de Raemy, Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Lugano . The agenda for the coming weeks includes liturgical celebrations, meetings with parish communities, institutional events, and moments dedicated to formation and ecclesial life, in Ticino and various locations throughout Switzerland.
The program alternates diocesan commitments with national meetings, offering a snapshot of the numerous activities involving the Apostolic Administrator both locally and beyond the cantonal borders. From parish anniversaries to meetings of the Swiss Bishops' Conference, as well as events with young people, families, teachers, and seminarians, September will feature a diverse presence in various areas of Church life.
The activity follows a summer already marked by significant spiritual moments. Last August 19, during the diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes, Bishop Alain de Raemy offered a catechesis dedicated to Pope Leo's encyclical Magnifica Humanitas , presented as a hymn to human dignity.
A comparison of the challenges of the Church
The first public event of the month is scheduled for Thursday, September 3rd. Bishop Alain de Raemy will participate in an evening organized by the Ambassador Club Lugano, dedicated to the theme "The Current and Future Challenges of the Church." The meeting, reserved for club members, will be moderated by journalist Michele Fazioli and will offer an opportunity to discuss issues related to the present and future prospects of the ecclesiastical institution.
The following day, Friday, September 4, the Apostolic Administrator will be in Biel to participate in the meeting of the Conférence des Ordinaires Romands (COR), the body that brings together the ordinaries of French-speaking Switzerland.
Between the communities of Camperio and Orselina
On Saturday, September 5, Msgr. de Raemy will participate in the Eucharist and the official celebrations for the sixtieth anniversary of the Casa Montanina in Camperio.
On Sunday, September 6th, attention will shift to Orselina, where she will participate in the Eucharistic celebration on the occasion of the Patron Saint's Day of the Convent of the Madonna del Sasso, one of the most significant religious events in the local calendar.
Meetings of the Swiss Church
The first part of the month will also be marked by some events involving the national dimension of the Catholic Church.
On Monday, September 7, Bishop Alain de Raemy will be in Zurich for a meeting of the Swiss Bishops' Conference. Two days later, Wednesday, September 9, he will travel to Lucerne to participate in the meeting of Swiss Army Chaplains.
From September 21st to 23rd, he is also scheduled to attend the 353rd Ordinary Assembly of the Swiss Bishops' Conference, scheduled to be held in Fischingen, in the Canton of Thurgau. This is one of the main periodic events of the national episcopate.
A day on Mount Tamaro with young people and families
On Saturday, September 12, the agenda will return to Ticino with the Day at Monte Tamaro, dedicated to the young people and families of the Diocese.
The initiative will provide a meeting point for different generations and is part of a series of activities aimed at families and young people in the diocesan area.
The bicentenary of the parish church of Vezia
On Sunday, September 13, Msgr. Alain de Raemy will participate in the Eucharistic celebration with the community of Vezia, called to commemorate the two hundredth anniversary of their parish church.
The anniversary will offer the local community the opportunity to retrace a history spanning two centuries of religious and social life, with a celebration entrusted to the participation of the Apostolic Administrator.
Teachers of religion and spiritual formation
The weekend of September 19th and 20th will be busy. In Lugano, Msgr. de Raemy will participate in the Eucharist and a meeting with Religious Education teachers.
He will then travel to Hauterive, where he will lead the meditations scheduled for the spiritual retreat for new members of the Order of Malta. Two events, different in context and audience, united by the dimension of formation and spiritual deepening.
Confirmations in Solduno and Giubiasco
The final part of the month will once again focus on the life of parish communities and the journey of young people.
On Saturday, September 26th, Bishop Alain de Raemy will celebrate Confirmation for the boys and girls of the Solduno parish. The following day, Sunday, September 27th, he will be in Giubiasco to celebrate the sacrament with the young people of the local parish.
Also on the evening of Sunday, September 27, a meeting is planned with seminarians and professed members of the educational communities present in the Diocese. This moment is dedicated to those involved in formation programs and the various community experiences of the Ticino ecclesial community.
September ends with the seminarians
The last event of the month is scheduled for Wednesday, September 30. Bishop Alain de Raemy will celebrate the Eucharist with the seminarians in the church of San Giuseppe in Lugano.
This will conclude a month of events, diverse in nature and purpose, all reflecting the many roles entrusted to the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Lugano: from leading liturgical celebrations to participating in Swiss Church bodies, to engaging directly with parishes, families, young people, teachers, and those engaged in religious formation.
The September agenda thus reflects a spread of activity between the local and national levels, in which individual community anniversaries are complemented by institutional meetings and moments dedicated to spiritual reflection. For the Diocese of Lugano , it will be a month marked by numerous opportunities for gatherings and by the presence of Bishop Alain de Raemy in various contexts of ecclesial life in Ticino and Switzerland.
