AC is the acronym for Azione Cattolica (“catholic action” in English) that is a secular catholic association, which cooperates with the ecclesiastical hierarchies of the Catholic Church. AC dates back to 1867, and since then, thanks to many volunteers, we have been able to enjoy and be part of this wonderful world, which operates in many cities across Italy.

My name is Arianna and I am an AC volunteer, which means I spend some of my free time with children, or with young boys and girls, doing activities and playing games together. The association is like a big family; it is managed by volunteers, who give their time in order to plan the activities and to coordinate the different groups the organization is made of.

 

AC experience

AC is divided into three main sectors: children, young people, and adults. For each sector, the volunteers plan different activities and schedule the meetings according to the needs and availabilities. Every year, a different topic drives each meeting, and the group leaders (the right word in Italian is “animatori”, who are simply the volunteers of the association), think of and arrange the activities, including educational visits, and organise further volunteer experiences, also involving other. The aim of the meetings is to create a group of people and to learn to walk together, to discuss and compare different approaches to life, or just spend some time together. During the summer, we always organise one week in the mountain for our children. It is a week full of emotions and experiences, when important bonds are developed and when children are asked to involve themselves in the activities.

 

Where to start

There are many different ways to become an AC volunteer. If you are a teenager, you start as an “acerrino” (a member of AC), and then, when you grow up, you become a volunteer. Otherwise,  you can participate in some training meetings in order to get ready to start your journey with your group of teenagers. Finally, you can simply donate your time and invest it to work with children. During the time you provide this service, you are invited to take part in several meetings and events in order to keep learning, because children are the most beautiful thing in the world but you have to be able to handle them and to gain their trust.

 

AC lifestyle

AC is a world that accompanies you throughout your life, it is a way of living, a choice you make and that fills your life with gratitude and joy. An AC volunteer is someone who decides to spend their time helping others and has the responsibility of those children and teens that walk with them. Being an “acierrino” means not only that you take part in the scheduled meeting once a week, but also that you decide to live your whole life according to some values and principles that make you a true and genuine person.