Fides

Feb. 19, 2002

rom 18-20 February the 30^th Meeting for Bishops of the Church in America is taking place in Salvador da Bahia to reflect on the theme "The Responses of the Church in America and the New Global Reality". The event is promoted by the Council of Latin American Bishops’ Conferences CELAM. The 25 participants include Bishops from Colombia, Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, Porto Rico, Mexico, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, United States and Canada.

We need to intensify relations within the Church in America, in order to face common problems, identifying the effects of globalization in both North and South America.

The discussion has as its starting point Pope John Paul II’s post synodal exhortation Ecclesia in America. In an interview with Fides, Cardinal Geraldo Majella Agnelo, Archbishop of Sao Salvador and Primate of Brazil, also CELAM vice-president, said the purpose of the meeting is to "intensify relations within the Church in America, in order to face common problems" identifying the effects of globalization in both North and South America. The American Bishops will also discuss how to humanize globalization, and employ it for evangelization. They will reflect on the moral aspects of globalization, the lack of rules for economy, scientific progress in a world where the number of poor persons who do not benefit from progress made continues to increase.

Cardinal Majella says the worsening economic crisis in the countries of America is "causing increasing unrest and instability" and the phenomenon of impoverishment and despise for work is ever more evident: "poverty and corruption increase, while man, the center of all activity, is forgotten".

(From Fides Service)