AMERICA/COLOMBIA - Reach out to the Afro reality present in Colombia to understand and appreaciate it in view of planning specific pastoral care: 1st Meeting for Bishops and Afro-Colombians

Bogota (Fides Service) - “The Bishops of the Commission for Mission Pastoral of the Colombian Bishops’ Conference at their last meeting in February this year underscored the importance to provide the country’s numerous communities of Afro-Colombians with specfic and adeguate pastoral care suited to their culture. To discuss this pastoral care they decided to invite the Bishops with Afro-Colombians in their diocese to a Meeting-Workshop on Afro-Colombian Culture”: said Fr Antonio Villarino director of the Colombian Bishops Conference Ethnic Section as he explained the reasons for holding the 1st Meeting for Bishops and Afro-Colombians.
Organised by the Colombian Bishops’ Conference, Ethnic Section, the meeting will take place in Bogota on the 29 and 30 September and its aim is to reach out to the Afro reality present in Colombia to understand and appreaciate it in view of planning specific pastoral care for the near future. Experts in the field will illustrate themes for reflection. Conferences will be followed by discussion and dialogue among the participants. The themes on the agenda include: “Realty and Objectives of the Afro-Colombian movement” (Fr. Emidgio Cuesta and Dr. Carles Rocero); “Elements of Afro-Colombian Culture” (Fr. William Riascos); “Afro-Colombians and the Catholic Church” (Fr. Napoleone Garcìa); “A concrete case for inculturation: Alabao” (Fr. Gonzalo Torres). For more information see: misiones@cec.org.co (RZ) (Agenzia Fides 29/7/2005 - Righe 18, Parole 219)