Italy
The history of the Unification Church in Italy began in 1965 with the arrival of American missionary Doris Walder (Orme) in Rome. She began witnessing first within the English-speaking community, before expanding her arena. Martin Porter, who joined the church in 1965, led the movement in Italy from 1967 till 1977. In the early days, members gathered at Doris Walder's small apartment to pray and study the Principle, while creating a foundation for future missionary work.
In 1966, the Unification Church of Italy was legally registered with the government, thus opening the door to genuine missionary work. In the same year the first church was established in Rome and members held services there. The second church was established in Milan. In the meantime, missionary work was expanded to each city. Divine Principle, translated into Italian, was distributed to members.
The efforts of the early members gradually expanded the foundation of the church and in the 1970s the Italian church made rapid progress. It set up a printing house at Via Treviso in Rome in 1971 and published Divine Principle. Reverend Moon visited Italy during his third world tour. Since then, the Italian church has continued to grow. Many people, impressed
by the Principle, joined the church and volunteered themselves for service activities.
The church sent some seventy people overseas on the International One World Crusade in 1978. A magazine, La Nuova Era, reporting on Reverend Moon's work and church activities, was launched and achieved popularity. An average of 120,000 copies were printed every month. New study materials, such as a series of Reverend Moon's speeches, other literary works, and Divine Principle Level 4 were published, and underpinned the members' faith.
Beginning in the 1980s, a kindergarten was established for the children of the early members. In addition to the training center near Varese in the North, the Rocca di Papa training center was established near Rome (in 1980), and more recently at Colle Mattia. The training centers operate educational courses including a marriage preparation course for young people, and are contributing to the education of new and established members alike.
Church-related organizations have continued their work to disseminate the Unification Principle. The Italian PWPA chapter was inaugurated in 1979. The Associazione per la Ricerca dei Valori Spirituali (ARVAS), was established in 1985, developing the movement to awaken the modern youth who have become captive to mammonism. Still other organizations are making their contribution to the one goal of "God's will and the ideal."Austria
Missionary activity in Austria began in 1965 with the arrival of Paul Werner from Germany. He witnessed to fourteen people in one year and registered the church under the name of Gesselschaft zur Vereinigung des Weltchristentums. He increased membership through street witnessing and set up centers in several cities as bases for activities.
On the basis of this early foundation of the 1960s, the church began, from 1970, to diversify in its work. The first attempt was a public lecture at the University of Vienna. By putting up posters on university billboards, the church took the first step to doing substantial missionary work on campus.
While such activities were developing, the Austrian government in 1974 reached the point of declaring the Unification Church an illegal organization. Although the church protested in the courts, it was rejected every time. However as the freedom of religion is guaranteed in the Austrian constitution, witnessing proceeded on an individual level.
In spite of the government's indictment and sanctions, the church movement advanced. New churches were opened and people continued to join the church. Beginning from 1977, the church invited members' parents to meetings where they were informed of church activities. Annual cultural activities were organized at the training center.
As Austria is a country of a developed musical tradition, Reverend Moon organized a Vienna Boys' choir when he visited Vienna. The choir supported the church's front-line missionary work by singing at the opening ceremonies of church-related events, art exhibitions, and so on.
The 1980s saw further advancement based on the internal and external development of the 1970s. A movement for religious harmony began from 1986 through contacts established with the mainstream churches. Twelve hundred Catholic priests attended seminars organized by the church, and showed a positive response to the Unification movement and to Reverend Moon. This created the opportunity to allow other denominations to see a different image of the Austrian Unification Church. As well as the witnessing activity, the media outreach, cultural activities, and the Victory Over Communism movement extended the sphere of missionary work into many areas.
*** A seminar in San Marino sponsored by " Dialogo " a magazine supporting CAUSA activities ( April, 1988 ) *** A presentation of the Unification Principle organized by the San Marino Church ( 1991 ) *** Reverend Moon visiting Milan ( 1981 )
