AMERICA/BRAZIL - “To face the challenge of a globalised society we want to be a missionary Church with concrete commitment for mission in the Amazon region”: 6th national assembly of organisations of the People of God in Brazil.

Belo Horizonte-Minas Gerais (Fides Service) - At the end of the 6th national assembly of organisations of the People of God in Brazil, held 26 to 28 March, the participants addressed a letter to the Brothers and Sisters of the Church in Brazil. The letter, dated 28 March 2004, was signed by the representatives of the organisations taking part: CNBB-Conference of Bishops; CND-National Commission of Deacons; CNIS-National Conference of Secular Institutes; CRB-Conference of Religious in Brazil; CNP-National Priest’s Comission; CNLB-National Council for the Laity.
The participants say that the projects contained in the 17th two year plan, such as the proposal to render concrete guidelines for evangelisation, “express the dynamism of the Church in Brazil attentive to the challenges and needs of the present day ”. Projects best received by the participants were those oriented to building a society of peace, to eliminating poverty and hunger, to promote mission in the Amazon region, political education of lay men and women and in particular the National Evangelisation project titled “We want to see Jesus: Way, Truth and Life ”.
The participants affirmed: “in the light of the assembly ‘Together on Mission’, we feel called to assume responsibility for the realisation of projects in the local situations as prophetic signs of hope; we want to be a Church involved in promoting the dignity of the person, the renewal of the community and the building of a society of solidarity ”.
The nucleus of the letter consists of commitments taken by the Church gathered in assembly to face the challenges of a globalised society, a liberal economy and profound social changes taking place: “We commit ourselves to being a missionary Church concretely involved in mission in the Amazon region; to bear witness to communion, by means of commitment to the Evangelisation Campaign; to be a Church ‘which serves’, united to build a society of peace and to eliminate poverty and hunger; to cultivate a spirit of sharing of spiritual riches among all Christians promoting the campaign of Ecumenical Brotherhood and dialogue in the situation of religious pluralism; to intensify formation of lay Christians for political activity impregnated with the values of the Gospel”. (R.Z.) (Agenzia Fides 15/4/2004; Righe 28; Parole 363)