VATICAN - 8th meeting of the Special Council for Oceania of the general secretariat of the Synod of Bishops on the implementation of the post synodal exhortation “Ecclesia in Oceania”

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The eighth meeting of the Special Council for Oceania of the general secretariat of the Synod of Bishops was held in Suva, Fiji Islands 4 and 5 August on the eve of the plenary Assembly of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Oceania, 7 to 11 August 2006. The general theme for both meetings was the implementation of the post synodal exhortation “Ecclesia in Oceania”.
A Holy See Press Office statement said the work began with a presentation of the activity of the general secretariat of the Synod of Bishops by secretary general Bishop Nikola Eterović, particularly on the 11th ordinary general assembly of the Synod of Bishops on: ‘The Eucharist: source and summit of the life and mission of the Church’. The theme of the Eucharist is mentioned often in Ecclesia in Oceania. Bishop Nikola Eterović stressed the central place of the Eucharist in the life of Catholics in Oceania expressing satisfaction for statistics which reveal growing numbers all over Oceania of vocations to the priesthood and the religious life, a fact which promises among other things, more regular celebration of Sunday Mass for Catholic communities in remote areas.
The members of the Special Council reported on the situation of the Church in their own countries. In some countries, Australia and New Zealand for example growing secularism marked by ethic and moral relativism reflects in particular on the understanding of the family and the education of children. At a time of increased globalisation the phenomenon is spreading also in other countries. Although to different degrees they are marked by a multireligious and multicultural environment, relations with believers of other faiths are general good. Not lacking are social problems such as poverty, corruption, unemployment, spreading of diseases including AIDS. This situation is a challenge for the Church for new activity of evangelisation and implementation of Catholic Social Doctrine. In this field to be more effective, it is necessary to strengthen Catholic identity of institutions, Catholic schools of various grades in particular, a field in which the Church has important social influence .
This intervention was followed by a statement on the meeting of the Bishops of Oceania on the implementation of the post synodal exhortation “Ecclesia in Oceania”. The members of the special council made observations and suggestions to complete the text and identified priority points in the implementation of Ecclesia in Oceania. The next meeting of the Special Council for Oceania will be held 14 and15 February 2008 in Rome. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 31/8/2006 - righe 34, parole 440)