Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides Service) - In order to define the significance and identify the implications of being disciples of Christ today, especially in the context of Latin America, the Pontifical Council for the Laity and the Council of Latin American Bishops’ Conferences CELAM has organised the 1st Congress for Church Movements and new Communities in Latin America to be held in Bogota, Colombia 9-12 March. The Congress conclusions are expected to be of great help in the work of preparing for the 5th General Conference of CELAM which will take place in Aparecida Brazil in May 2007.
Besides Superiors and co-workers of the Pontifical Council for the Laity and the CELAM Presidency, participants will include members of CELAM 5 preparatory commission, a bishop delegate representing each Bishops’ Conference and leaders of over 50 Church Movements and new Communities from Latin America and elsewhere in the world.
The Congress will open with an introduction by CELAM president Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz and Archbishop Stanisław Ryłko President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity . Two conferences respectively, ‘Christian, that is disciple of Christ’ and ‘Church Movements and New Communities the Holy Spirit’s answer to the challenge of evangelisation today’ will lay the basis for panel discussion on three subjects: “Church Movements and New Communities: how new disciples of Christ are born and formed and how they mature”; “Sent to evangelise, that is, sent to make Disciples” and “Church Movements and New Communities: Creative Charity”. Work groups will reflect on the following themes: proclamation of the Gospel and popular piety; the threat of spreading sects; cultural challenges and moral relativism; presence of Christians in society and politics: working for reconciliation and justice; commitment to education: repairing human, family and social fabric; creative charity and old and new forms of poverty; the transmission of the faith to the young and education of youth.
On the last day of the Congress there will be a conference on “Church Movements in the local Church” followed by a panel discussion on “What the Church in Latin America expects of these new realities”. After the definition of the Conclusions, the participants will take part in the closing Mass in Bogota cathedral. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 6/3/2006 - Righe 31; Parole 401)
