AMERICA/BRAZIL - Continental Meeting of members and consultors of the Pontifical Council for Culture and presidents of Bishops’ Commissions for Culture

Rome (Fides Service) - A sort of ‘synod of culture’ will take place in Rio from 7 to 12 June. This continental meeting Pastoral of Culture in America,revision on the threshold of the 3rd millennium will bring togther members of the Pontifical Council for Culture resident in the Americas and presidents of American Bishops’ Commissions for Culture.
The Church’s experts in culture from Alaska to the Tiera del Fuego, about 50, including 11 cardinals, bishops, priests and lay men and women will discuss challenges and opportunities in the evangelisation of culture.
The work will focus on pastoral care of culture in eight fields: Family, youth and institutions; means of communication, universities; Indigenous and Afro-American cultures; Migration; rural and urban culture; sects; the path of beauty. During the closing session participants will approve resolutions and guidelines for activity until the next continental meeting in 2009.
In the opening talk Present day Cultural challenges and new dynamism in pastoral of culture in America, Cardinal Paul Poupard President of the Pontifical Council for Culture, will illustrate a method for cultural analysis in the light of the post synodal exhortation Ecclesia in America. The Cardinal underlines that it is a question not only of a change in terminology but a theological option.
Going beyond sociological data, pastoral of culture must reach the heart of man ever in search of the meaning of life. Jesus Christ alone offers the answer to all questions and changes the human heart and therefore human culture, the Cardinal said.
From 14 to 16 June in Salta, Argentina there will be the 2nd meeting of Catholic Cultural Centres in Cono Sur.
(AP) (6/6/2005 Agenzia Fides; Righe:29; Parole:333)