AMERICA - II Congress of Ecclesial Movements and New Communities: “may every movement and community, in its own charism, contribute however they can to the success of the Continental Mission”

Bogota (Agenzia Fides) - Sunday, March 2, Bogota saw the close of the II Congress of Ecclesial Movements and New Communities, an event organized by CELAM, together with the Pontifical Council for the Laity, that was attended by 105 representatives from 37 organizations of Latin America and the Caribbean.
The first part of the concluding talks was dedicated to an overview of the Aparecida event, in relation to ecclesial Movements and communities, considering it as “the event that transforms the urgency of this moment into a sign of the Church’s openness, offering hope for a new evangelization lead by the laity.” The participants also stated the necessity to rigorously collaborate with the entire Church. “The communion between the various Church entities is, for us, a necessary instrument in the authentic evangelization. We see the communion that exists between gift and task,” the concluding statements said. A call for a more committed participation was also made: “The current circumstances demand that we carry out a pastoral activity that is organized, planned, and directed so as to inspire faith, begin apostolate, and contribute to living the lay vocation, creating a new generation of Catholic leaders capable of announcing the Good News in politics, the economy, culture, and society of Latin America.”
One important part of the concluding statements is dedicated to the Continental Mission. Most importantly, it considers the great task of Aparecida that is in its preparatory phases, as well as the participation that will be necessary on the part of all Church levels. Among the main suggestions that have been offered on how to carry out the Continental Mission, from the perspective of the Movements and the New Communities, are: a clear awareness that the Mission should be carried out with the power of the Holy Spirit; unity with the Church’s pastors; spreading the awareness that the faithful are at the service of a community project; integrating movements in decision-making carried out in the national and diocesan commissions of the Continental Mission; forming missionary groups that are open to being flexible and have no fear of losing their own identity, thus enabling them to more effectively support the Continental Mission; promoting encounters of the movements in each country; supporting new initiatives for reaching those who are farthest from Christ and the Church. Emphasis was also placed on the will to participate and the enthusiasm of each movement and community, in its own charism, contributing to the success of the Continental Mission. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 5/3/2008 righe 33, parole 410)