Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Aparecida (Fides Service) - "The Bishops gathered for the 5th General Conference of the Council of Bishops' Conferences of Latin America and the Caribbean here at the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in the spirit of a 'new Pentecost' wish the event and the Final Document which summarises our debate, to bear the fruit of renewal in the Church's life and activity". This was the opening statement of a Final CELAM 5 Document presented by the President of CELAM Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz Ossa. The Document will be presented to Pope Benedict XVI on 11 June and made public a few months later.
In the summary the Bishops say "the most precious patrimony of our peoples is faith in God who is Love". With this conviction and aware of the lights and shadows on the continent the Bishops certain commitments: "to give in the present historic circumstances new impulse to pastoral work marked by strong apostolic ardour and greater missionary effort to spread the Gospel of Christ as the way to true life... be more aware of the grave responsibility to safeguard and nourish the faith of the People of God, and remind the faithful that by virtue of baptism all are called to be disciples and missionaries of Jesus Christ; renew ecclesial communities and pastoral structures so as to communicate faith in Christ".
The Document has three parts. Part One: "The Life of our Peoples": "a theological and pastoral view of the great changes on the continent and all over the world which call for evangelisation ". Part Two: "The Life of Christ in missionary disciples Cristo": "the beauty of faith in Christ, the source of life for the men and women who accept Him and wish to follow the path towards missionary discipleship ". One novelty of the Document is its intention to vivify the life of the baptised to help them remain in the Church and continue to follow Jesus. Part Three "The Life of Jesus Christ for our Peoples" intends to give new missionary dynamism to pastoral activity. It states that the principal purpose of the Conference is to make the Church community more missionary, with a renewal of pastoral and missionary impulse in the particular Churches, ecclesial communities and pastoral bodies. It also proposes the Great Continental Mission whose agents will be the dioceses led by the Bishops and lists some priorities in the mission of Christ's disciples. The Document calls once again every member of the Church to be a disciple and missionary of Christ, to experience "the sweet and comforting joy of evangelising". It ends with a prayer: "Jesus Christ, stay with us because the evening is near and the day is coming to an end". (Lk 24,29). (RG) (Agenzia Fides 31/5/2007; righe 33, parole 484)
