Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Florida (Agenzia Fides) – The Uruguayan Bishops' Conference (CEU) will celebrate its Second Plenary Assembly on November 5-12, in the “Jesus, the Good Shepherd” Retreat House, in Florida. The central theme of the Assembly will be the launching of the Continental Mission in the country, which will take place on Sunday, November 9, during the National Pilgrimage to the Shrine of “La Virgen de los Treinta y Tres,” Patroness of Uruguay. There will be 10 Titular Bishops and 2 Auxiliary Bishops (from the Dioceses of Salto and Canelones) participating, as well as to retired Bishops.
The Assembly will begin, as is customary, with a retreat for Bishops, which will be preached by Bishop Orlando Romero of Canelones, who recently arrived from Rome, where he served as representative for the Uruguayan Bishops in the Synod on the Word of God.
On the first evening, the Bishops will attend an event of artists paying homage to the patroness of the country: “Uruguay sings to 'La Virgen de los Treinta y Tres'” which will take place at 8:30, in the National Shrine in Florida (Uruguay).
Also planned for the Assembly is a meeting of the Bishops, a visit from the new Apostolic Nuncio of Uruguay, Archbishop Anselmo Pecorari, and day for workshops with Vicars and Secretary Generals of CEU entities on the implementation of the Continental Mission in Uruguay. The Bishops will evaluate, during the assembly, their recent ad limina visit, which took place September 22-27 and will analyze some of the directives for pastoral education and educators, proposed by the Catholic Education Department of the CEU. The Pastors will also meet with formators from the local Seminary and have lunch with the Seminarians.
The central activity of the Assembly will take place on November 9, during the pilgrimage, in a Mass in honor of “La Virgen de los Treinta y Tres,” in which the Continental Mission will be launched in Uruguay. The President, Vice- President, and Secretary General of the Bishops' Conference have written a letter inviting all the faithful to prepare for the national pilgrimage which will end with the Mass concelebrated by all the Bishops, and will feature the “important gesture of launching the Continental Mission in our Uruguay, in response to the petition made at the V General Bishops' Conference in Aparecida.” The Bishops describe the pilgrimage as “a great moment for our communities in the Home of Mary, Mother of Our Land.” “Mary offers Her indispensable maternal presence in forming a community of sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, disciples and missionaries of Her Son,” they wrote. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 4/11/2008)
