AMERICA/CHILE - First Church Meeting to discuss next Pastoral Guidelines considering the conclusions of 5th General Conference of the Council of Bishops' Conferences of Latin America and the Caribbean in Aparecida and in view of the country's bi-centenary

Santiago (Agenzia Fides) - About 600 people will gather in Santiago 10 - 12 October for the First National Church Meeting to offer the bishops suggestions for the next Pastoral Guidelines. The theme of the Meeting is “Disciples and missionaries of Christ for the life of Chile".
Since 1968 the Bishops of Chile have issued National Pastoral Guidelines, usually every five years, to respond to the principal challenges to evangelisation. On this occasion two important circumstances will be taken into account. First of all the fruitful period of preparation for CELAM when the several dioceses identified challenges to pastoral work and experienced a valuable time of listening to the Lord. The Bishops took the opportunity to elaborate the next guidelines starting from a similar process of communion and participation. The other circumstance is preparations to celebrate Chile's 200th year of Independence "founding moment which marked the life of our country and an opportunity for a new encounter with the 'soul of Chile' to re-found the country starting with its essential values" the Bishops affirm.
During their 93rd plenary assembly the Bishops decided to call a 1st National Church Meeting in view of the elaboration of national pastoral guidelines 2008-2012. The Meeting will also celebrate 50 years of the activity of the Catholic Bishops Conference with a special Mass at the national Shrine of Maipú.
The National Church Meeting has two stages: diocesan meetings in August, and the actual Meeting 10, 11 and 12 October at Schoenstatt Pilgrim Centre, in Florida. The Bishops will assess and discuss the results of the Meeting during their 94th plenary assembly in November. The actual guidelines will be elaborated during the 95th plenary assembly in April next year.
During the three day National Church Meeting the participants will: thank God for all the graces received; reflect on the social-cultural tendencies and the religious-pastoral situation in Chile today; reflect on the conclusions of CELAM 5 as a point of reference for the work of evangelisation; elaborate proposals for the next pastoral guidelines 2008-2012. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 5/10/2007; righe 34, parole 435)