Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Santo Domingo (Agenzia Fides) - On Wednesday, May 13 elections were held to choose the directors of CELAM (Latin American Episcopal Council) for the next four years from 2015 to 2019. Cardinal Ruben Salazar Gomez, Archbishop of Bogota (Colombia) was elected President, and is the fourth president of CELAM; His Exc. Mgr. Carlos María Collazzi, Bishop of Mercedes (Uruguay) was elected first Vice-President and His Exc. Mgr. Jose Belisario da Silva, Archbishop of Sao Luis de Maranhao (Brazil) was elected second Vice-President.
The note sent to Agenzia Fides recalls that CELAM is holding its 35th Ordinary General Assembly, which began on May 12 and ends today, May 15, in Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic. Twenty-two Episcopal Conferences of South America and the Caribbean are part of CELAM.
The theme of the meeting is the analysis of the last four years and an indication of the pastoral priorities for the continent from 2015 to 2019. One of the topics of reflection is the phenomenon of migration that, according to the note sent to Fides, is "very serious" in many American countries, but there is awareness on behalf of the Church with regards to the need to accompany migrants. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 15/05/2015)
