AMERICA/PERU - Eucharistic Congress of southern Andes region will close the Year of the Eucharist: poor people will start fund solidarity as a sign of the bond between the Eucharist and charity

Monday, 26 September 2005

Ayaviri (Fides Service) - Among many initiatives in parishes, communities, associations, groups etc., to mark the Year of the Eucharist now coming to an end, there will be a Eucharistic Congress of southern Andes region from 21 to 23 October in Ayaviri with the slogan “Eucharist, source of life and hope”, promoted by the Bishops of Ayaviri, Juli and Sicuani Prelatures and organised by the Institute for Andes Pastoral Care.
Reflection will focus on the following themes: “Biblical foundations of the Eucharist”, reflections on Mane Nobiscum, Domine apostolic letter ; “Church, humanity, Jesus Christ, new Humanity and Eucharistic Experience in the Andes”. The days of reflection will close with solemn overnight adoration of the Eucharist at Ayaviri’s St Francis of Assisi Cathedral at the end of which the Congress participants will gather around a huge bonfire to recall that the “Eucharist is light above all… In the account of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, (cf. Lk 24:27)… Christ’s words make the hearts of the disciples “burn” within them, drawing them out of the darkness of sorrow and despair, and awakening in them a desire to remain with him: “Stay with us, Lord” (cf. v. 29). (Cfr. MND, 12).
On Sunday 23 October thousands of Catholics from all over the region, clergy, religious, pastoral workers, parish delegates etc., will make a pilgrimage from 4 points in Ayaviri Prelature to reach the city centre for a solemn Mass to close the Congress.
Fr Victor Ramos, IPA executive director recalls that in his apostolic letter Mane Nobiscum Domine (27) John Paul II said : “The Eucharist is not only an expression of communion in the life of the Church it is also a project of solidarity for the whole of humanity”. Therefore during this regional Eucharistic Congress although the people in this region are very poor they have decided to make a gesture of sharing and solidarity and start a fund to help victims of political violence in Peru in the 1980s: “That experience of suffering and death left many brothers and sisters wounded in mind and in relations with others”. (RZ) (Agenzia Fides 27/9/2005, righe 27 parole 363)


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