AMERICA - CELAM thanks enclosed religious for supporting 5th General Conference of the Council of Bishops' Conferences of Latin America and the Caribbean in Aparecida with their prayer: "continue to pray that the Church in Latin America and the Caribbean may heed the call to mission"

Bogota (Agenzia Fides) - In a Letter addressed to men and women members of enclosed orders CELAM thanked the religious for accompanying with prayer the 5th General Conference of the Council of Bishops' Conferences of Latin America and the Caribbean in Aparecida. "We are certain that it was thanks to your prayers that so many graces were poured into the hearts and minds of the participants at the Aparecida meeting. …where we experienced the presence and working of the Holy Spirit". For some of the participants it was a "new Pentecost, with an atmosphere of faith and friendship among the bishops". There was a spirit of communion, fraternity, dialogue, listening to one another, a deep desire to be open to the will of God in an atmosphere of serene and confident work. “The fruit of this gift of God to our Churches must be passionate missionary endeavour all over the Continent. This is the principal challenge which Aparecida left us" the letter states.
CELAM asks contemplative men and women religious of enclosed orders to continue to pray for this new lap of the Mission, which must reach the whole Continent. “Dear brothers and sisters pray with confidence in the powerful working of the Holy Spirit that the whole Church in Latin America and the Caribbean may heed the call to mission… we hope the mission will lead to a new Pentecost, free us from tiredness and disappointment: we long for the coming of the Spirit to give us new joy and hope". (RG) (Agenzia Fides 11/7/2007; righe 19, parole 285)