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Cattolicesimo romano e globalizzazione religiosa

Summary: This paper focuses on the relationship between Roman Catholicism and the global religious system. The study revolves around two main questions. First, if something like an institutionalisation of a religious (sub)system of the globalised society is happening. The Luhmannian theoretical perspective has been chosen to deal with this problem. Second, if Roman Catholicism is playing any role, and specifically, a first rank role within this process. The second part of the paper is devoted to the demonstration and discussion of some of the evidence on the guide-role played by the Papacy in and for the religious globalisation process. I will derive my analysis of this point of view from the two Assisi meetings of prayer (1986, 2002). Those circumstances seem to reveal a kind of special mandate given to the Rome Catholic Pope by other world religious leaders.