Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - On Monday 11 June Pope Benedict XVI was presented with the Final Document of the 5th General Conference of the Council of Bishops' Conferences of Latin America and the Caribbean held in Aparecida 13 -31 May. The Document was presented by the three CELAM 5 presidents Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz Ossa, Archbishop of Santiago de Chile; Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America; Cardinal Geraldo Majella Agnelo, Archbishop of São Salvatore di Baia, Brazil. The document contains the fruit of 18 days of general Council summarised in the Document of Aparecida. The Cardinals wished also to share with the Pope the atmosphere of communion and presence of the Holy Spirit experienced during CELAM 5.
The Document of Aparecida has three parts which follow a theological-pastoral method of reflection "see, assess and act". It proposes to view reality with eyes illuminated by the faith and hearts filled with love, it proclaims with joy the Gospel of Jesus Christ to illuminate the goal and the path of human life and to identify, by means of community discernment open to the breath of the Holy Spirit, common lines of truly missionary action to put the whole People of God in a permanent state of mission. This schema follows an underlying theme of life especially life in Christ and it is interlaced with the words of Jesus the Good Shepherd: "I have come that the sheep may have life in abundance " (Jn. 10,10).
"Now we hope the Holy Father will approve the document so we can share it with the many different communities awaiting its guidelines in order to pursue the work of evangelisation on this continent of hope " we read in the CELAM statement. While awaiting the Pope's approval CELAM is preparing its next ordinary general assembly in Havana, Cuba 10 - 13 July during which the participants will endeavour to lay the bases for the development of the Continental Mission which will give continuity toe CELAM 5 in Aparecida. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 12/6/2007; righe 30, parole 422)
