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Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Since he was young priest Bishop Cipriano Calderón Polo has always been fascinated by the Catholic vitality and pastoral potential of the Churches in Latin America. Through the years he has studied the question, made contact and relations, visited almost every country on the continent. He is the author of twenty articles on the religious-social situation of Hispanic-American countries published by a Catholic newspaper in Madrid. In 1968 he was appointed editor of the Spanish language edition of L'Osservatore Romano, which he oriented and projected particularly towards Latin American Churches. From 1988 to 2003 he was vice president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. He is an expert on Latin America having taken part in three General Conferences of the Bishops' Conferences of Latin America and the Caribbean and the Special Synod of Bishops for America in Rome in 1997. Here is an interview which Bishop Calderón Polo kindly gave to Fides.
Your have taken part in three General Conferences. How do you remember them, what were your impressions and have they affected life on the continent ?
I was present at the Conference in Medellin (1968) as a priest and a journalist, at Puebla (1979) I was present as an "expert" appointed by the Holy See, whereas at Santo Domingo (1992) I was a member as Bishop and vice president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. I think all these conference were great "events of evangelisation" and they marked the progress of the Church on the Continent. Each Conference had a marked impact on evangelisation. In my opinion the stronger ecclesial communion built among the Bishops and the new pastoral dynamism created among the people of God with the mobilisation of faithful and pastoral workers during the periods of preparation and following each conference, had more impact than the official final Messages and documents. While not forgetting the incisive effect of the culmination of each Conference, the presence of the Pope for the inauguration and his message to the whole continent as universal Shepherd,: Paul VI from Bogotà, 24 August 1968; John Paul II from Puebla de los Ángeles Mexico, 28 January 1979, and Santo Domingo, 12 October 1992. Much is said of the documents of Medellin, Puebla and Santo Domingo, but little is said of the Popes' opening addresses which in my opinion have been authentic programmatic texts for the assemblies, ecclesial life and evangelising activities in those times and in our times.
You mentioned the documents of Medellin, Puebla and Santo Domingo, what is your opinion of them?
I have read many times with care and discernment the closing documents of Medellin. I have not studied those of Puebla and Santo Domingo but I was involved to an extent in their drafting and revision. Certainly they offered important guidelines. However I do not think they can be termed "Latin American magisterium", as some have proposed. We have a great document of the Magisterium of Pope John Paul II for the life of the Church and the evangelising mission in Latin America, I refer to the post synodal exhortation Ecclesia in America (22 January 1999), the fruit of the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for America held in Rome 16 November to 12 December 1997. This documents needs to be studied and more widely and profoundly applied in the Church in America. I hope it will continue to illuminate the way for evangelisation in our countries.
What does the Church in Latin America hope to receive from the Conference in Aparecida?
The most important thing is for Aparecida to be an evangelising event to give new impulse to evangelisation. The Conference must focus attention on Jesus of Nazareth Son of God, only Saviour of the World; examine the relationship between Christ and America in every sphere, - human, family, social, religious -, to make the light of the Gospel penetrate the hearts, structures and lives of Latin Americans; draw everyone, young people especially to march towards Christ, towards the new heavens and the new earth of which the Bible speaks. This is a difficult march, but a march of joy and promise. We are guided and accompanied by Pope Benedict XVI who illuminates and orients the way with his special charisma as Bishop and teacher. We must listen to the Pope and accept the programme he indicates with joy and generosity. (CN/RG) (Agenzia Fides 29/5/2007; righe 60, parole 750)
