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Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “Aparecida will focus attention on the baptised person who has received the mission to evangelise the present and the future of Latin America; who is responsible for the promotion of man and all men; who must be involved in the transformation of Latin America”: said Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa, president of CELAM, reporting on preparations for the 5th General Conference of CELAM during the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America (17-20 January).
Latin America today “is challenged by religious moral and cultural changes in general which are the birth pangs of a new epoch" the Cardinal said. Preparation for the 5th General Conference of CELAM has included collection of suggestions from the dioceses of the participant countries and from offices of the Roman Curia; conferences and seminars by experts, publication of books on the situation in Latin America. At present on the basis of the input received a group of bishops and theologians are drafting the working paper.
The Cardinal mentioned two meetings: the 1st Intercontinental Meeting for Representatives of Apostolic Movements and new Communities prepared jointly with the Pontifical Council for the Laity (see Fides 30/1/2006, 13/3/2006, 16/3/2006) and a Continental Meeting and Marian Theology-Pastoral Congress held in Mexico (see Fides 17/6/2006 e 28/9/2006). Nine seminars were organised on different themes including: the Church in Public Opinion, Priests, Social Realities, Cultural Changes, Inter-disciplinary Seminar, a Seminar on Women "For the life of our Countries in Christ", a Seminar on Missiology and a Meeting between World Economists and CELAM.
In his address the President of CELAM said that the centrality of the human person, indicated in the theme of CELAM 5, is of capital importance because "before asking people to see what is happening in the world and in the Church, before leading them to ‘see’ the environment of which they are a part, they must be made aware of their own situation and vocation". "In Latin America and in the Caribbean - the Cardinal said - some leaders think the activity of the Church should concentrate only or mainly on eradicating poverty", missionary activity does not exist. "We must lay the real foundations. What is lacking is conversion to Christ and determination to build the Kingdom of God” the Cardinal said. The Conference in Aparecida will be a vigorous call to be disciples and missionaries of Jesus Christ and with surprising fecundity will lead to a great missionary reawakening in America.
"CELAM 5 will be a precious gift for all Latin America and the Caribbean, if it serves to turn our aspirations and our efforts … towards the love with which the Good Shepherd loved us to the last: towards the life of our peoples, life in abundance. This is the culture of life, life which has its source, its fullness, in God, which is fraternal and loving; new life which respects the rights which God has associated with our human nature, so that all men and women may live with due dignity. This life is communion, since we are created in the image and likeness of the Most Holy Trinity". (RG) (Agenzia Fides 30/1/2007; righe 39, parole 546)
