"This political task is not the immediate competence of the Church," the Pontiff explained. "Respect for a healthy secularity — including the pluralism of political opinions — is essential in the authentic Christian tradition."
Pope Benedict then listed key pastoral areas he believes are critical "to bring about the renewal of the Church that has been entrusted to your care in these lands." The Pope's list included: the family “patrimony of humanity,” priests as "first promoters of discipleship,” religious men and women, the lay faithful "jointly responsible for building society according to the criteria of the Gospel,” the youth and vocations.
Pope Benedict concluded with a prayer that stressed: "Remain with us Lord, remain in our homes, so that they may continue to be nests where human life is generously born, where life is welcomed, loved and respected from conception to natural death."
“As I conclude my stay among you,” he told the bishops, “I wish to invoke the protection of the Mother of God and Mother of the Church on you and on the whole of Latin America and the Caribbean. I beseech Our Lady in particular, under the title of Guadalupe, Patroness of America, and under the title of Aparecida, Patroness of Brazil, to accompany you in your exciting and demanding pastoral task. To her I entrust the People of God at this stage of the third Christian millennium. I also ask her to guide the deliberations and reflections of this General Conference and I ask her to bless with copious gifts the beloved peoples of this Continent.”