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But the movement clearly enjoys favor where it matters most. Pope John Paul II has come to rely on lay groups -- notably the secretive, highly disciplined Opus Dei -- to promote Christian values in a society that he finds increasingly materialistic. The Pontiff, who first came across C.L. while he was a bishop in Poland, made an appearance at the 1982 Rimini Meeting to give the crowd his special blessing. He still receives delegates from the organization in special audiences.
Next year a conference in Rome will give even broader church approval to lay activity like C.L.'s. The International Synod of Bishops, which meets every three years to advise the Pope on church teaching and practice, has set the role of the laity for its 1987 agenda. When the debates end, the Pontiff, who customarily issues a document summarizing the synod's conclusions and giving his own teaching, will establish more specific guidelines for lay action in reforming society.
C.L. is advancing in politics as well as religion. Roberto Formigoni, 39, a Christian Democrat and a founder of C.L.'s political arm, the Movimento Popolare, was elected in 1984 to the European Parliament with heavy C.L. support and then voted president of the Parliament's political affairs committee. In Italy's 1985 municipal elections, C.L.-backed candidates were voted into nearly 1,000 positions, including deputy mayor of Milan.
Papal favor has positioned C.L. well for expansion. Already the group is active in more than 20 countries and steadily growing, especially in Latin America. In the U.S., there are about 150 members, mainly in large Eastern cities. New York City's John Cardinal O'Connor, an ardent preacher against American materialism, went to Rimini last year and, impressed with what he saw, promised his support. The group's strong Italian identity, however, may hamper its effectiveness elsewhere. Says a Vatican spokesman: "They must de- Italianize their terms to grow in the world."