Working document for V General Conference of Latin American Bishops’ Council published

Lima, Peru, Sep 27, 2005 / 22:00 pm

The Latin American Bishops’ Council (CELAM) published on Tuesday the working document that will guide the preparations for the V General Conference of the Latin American and Caribbean Bishops, which will take place in 2007.  The complete text will be available at the official website for the conference, www.celam.info

The document is called “Towards the V Conference of the Bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean: Missionary Disciples of Jesus Christ so that our peoples may have life in Him. “I am the way, the truth and the life (Jn 14:6).”  It is addressed to the bishops, collaborators, and Christian communities of Latin America and the Caribbean.

While presenting the document, the President of CELAM, Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz of Santiago, Chile, noted the many “challenges at the beginning of the third millennium that mark our personal, family, pastoral, community and social life,” and he expressed his hope that out of a profound encounter with the Lord a response to many of these issues might be found.

He also emphasized that the working document is merely an invitation for the parties involved to share their experiences, reflections and charisms, which will all contribute to the drafting of a final document for the conference.

The working document is broken down into five chapters. Chapter one addresses the deepest desires of man in his humanity and in baptism.  Chapter two reflects on the blessings the gospel has brought to Latin America.  Chapter three focuses on the encounter with Christ and His invitation to be disciples and missionaries in communion with the Church. Chapter four deals with the challenges facing the Church in the new millennium. Chapter five refers to the urgency of Christ’s mission in the world today.