AMERICA/CHILE - “Religious life was born in the Church as a prophetic reminder that our home is not the earth, we are on a pilgrimage towards a new earth and new heavens": Final message of national meeting of conference of major superiors

Santiago (Fides Service) - A final message issued at the end of the 37th National Meeting of the Conference of Major Superiors of Chile CONFERRE said the present situation represents a challenge for the religious life. At a complex time of profound change in which the future is uncertain because of various tendencies which fail to respect human life and push it to the edge of destruction, and in which the search for a meaning to life finds no adequate response in present day institutions, men and women religious “must overcome fear” and respond “with solidarity to the call to be present among those who suffer, listening, accompanying and encouraging”. “Our vocation calls us to go against the tide because religious life was born in the Church as a prophetic reminder that our permanent home is not the earth we are pilgrims on our way to a new earth and new heavens” - the message reads.
At the same time it calls men and women religious to renew their commitment “to find new forms of presence, new relations and closer involvement”. In view of the 5th General Conference of the Council of Latin American Bishops’ Conferences, CONFERRE calls its members to continue to study the theme “how to welcome the Kingdom of God in our lives” and “how to help the laity realise and value their dignity: being disciples of Jesus Christ that our countries may have life in Him”. The Kingdom of God was the theme of the 37th CONFERRE meeting held 27 - 30 March in Santiago, attended by 180 men and women religious Superiors. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 5/4/2006 - Righe 20, parole 280)