VATICAN - From 9 to 12 December the Congress on the Church in America: problems and challenges faced by the mission

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Congress promoted by the Pontifical Commission for Latin America (Cal) and the Knights of Columbus in collaboration with the Institute for Guadalupani Studies, from December 9 to 12 the International Congress "Ecclesia in America " on the Church in the American continent will take place in the Vatican. Cardinal Marc Ouellet, President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America began by recalling the Synodal Assembly that took place in November and December 15 years ago and its fruit was the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in America, whose basic contents will be examined in the meeting. The Congress also aims to "strengthen the sense of communion and co-operation of the Churches in Canada and the United States with the Churches of Latin America in order to address common problems and challenges faced by the mission of the Church in the American contnent ". The basic references of the Congress will be the Year of Faith and the recent General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on "The New Evangelization for the Transmission of Faith."
The congress will be attended by over 200 participants. The opening will take place on Sunday, December 9, in St. Peter’s Basilica, on the day when the Church remembers St. Juan Diego. After the Mass, the Holy Father will greet the participants. On Monday, December 10, in the Synod Hall, debates will be held on: "The event in Guadalupe as the origin of evangelization in the New World", "The Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation: prophecy, teaching and commitment", and "The Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in America with the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, star of the new evangelization and mother of the civilization of love." The afternoon will be dedicated to the exchange of experiences, reflections and proposals in 8 working groups.
The day concludes with the conference "The meaning of the Year of Faith."
On Tuesday morning, December 11 participants will pray the Rosary before the statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Vatican Gardens, followed by the screening of a documentary on the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. On Wednesday, December 12 participants will attend the Holy Father’s general audience . In the afternoon there will be a conference on "Scenarios and proposals for communion and cooperation between the Churches of the Americas and for solidarity among their peoples". The Eucharistic celebration which will close the Congress will take place in the church of Santa Maria in Traspontina at 6.30 p.m., on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 07/12/2012)