Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Montevideo (Agenzia Fides) - "Four years ago, the Word marked the route in Aparecida, when we chose to promote the task of becoming missionary Disciples in the service of life, and now we confirm our commitment for the Continental Mission, as shown in the chosen Guidelines, which are at the service of this process. " This is what is stated in the Final Message of the XXIII Ordinary Assembly of CELAM, held from May 16 to 21 in Montevideo (Uruguay), and a copy was sent to Fides.
The introduction of the message recalls the recent request of the Holy Father so that the Word of God "becomes more and more the core of every activity of the Church" (Verbum Domini, 1), so, the Bishops write, "we reflected in communion, so that the action of evangelization in our continent is the same service of Jesus for our brothers, especially for the poor and needy. "
To illustrate this commitment, the Bishops chose the story of Jesus at the entrance of Nain (Luke 7, 11-17), when he gave back the life to the child that a widowed mother was about to bury, accompanied by many people of the city. The message reads: "The procession led by Jesus evokes the open path from the Gospel in our history and the people who joined faith, and committed themselves, chose the Christian culture that has distinguished our people. The Gospel tells us that when he arrived at the city gates, Jesus crosses another group coming from the opposite direction, carrying a dead boy. We too find along our path 'processions of death'. We are saddened by the death of many people, victims of violence caused by drug-dealing . We feel sorry for our younger generation, disappointed by the institutions that have lost their credibility because of the evident corruption. "
"This meeting with Jesus is the starting point for making a new path: the two processions, that of death and of life, eventually become one, that of life. As a Church, the bearer of life of the Kingdom of God, we are called to a new evangelization which uplifts those who have fallen, but accept the marginalized of our society, take care of the wounded, respond to those who ask where God is in the midst of calamity, return the hope of the full life that comes from the Risen One. " The message ends with an invitation to all for a greater commitment and invokes the protection of Our Lady of "thirty-three", so venerated in Uruguay. The document is dated May 20, 2011. (EC) (Agenzia Fides 05/21/2011)
