AMERICA/COSTA RICA - Annual Meeting of the Pontifical Council for Culture in Costa Rica: "Today's culture presents many challenges and difficulties for evangelization."

San Jose (Agenzia Fides) – On October 26 to 31, the Pontifical Council for Culture held, its annual meeting in San José de Costa Rica, which was attended by 4 Cardinals, Bishops and laity. The inauguration took place in the Cathedral of San Jose, with a Solemn Mass presided by Archbishop Gianfranco Ravassi, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture, concelebrated by several Cardinals and Bishops, including Archbishop Hugo Barrantes Ureña of San Jose, President of the Costa Rican Bishops' Conference.
The central point of the meeting revolved around the reflection on the values of the Gospel in today's context. According to Father Miguel Angel Reyes, of the Pontifical Council for Culture, "Today values are threatened and are replaced by a culture that is distant and hostile to the Christian culture. Hence, the need to instill these values of the Gospel in all fields: political, cultural, social, economic and family. Father Reyes continued: "Today's culture presents many challenges and difficulties for evangelization, since it is characterized by a strong relativism and secularization of the American continent.”
Dr. Roberto Mendez Martinez, Consultor of the Pontifical Council, said that “if the culture lacked the word evangelization, the consequences would be very serious for everybody.” “Therefore, we should proceed with a direct pastoral action: the ongoing formation of priests and laity in the disciplines associated with cultural ministry. We should particularly insist on a renewal in the areas of philosophy, anthropology, sociology and art history.” Dr. Mendez Martinez stated that “the pastoral workers engaged in cultural activity must be well prepared for this world, not only have good intentions. Their central goal is the evangelization of culture beginning with an open and impartial dialogue. (EC) (Agenzia Fides 09/11/2009)