AMERICA/MEXICO - "Evangelizing the cities": the first continental meeting of urban pastoral care begins

Wednesday, 10 October 2018 pastoral   local churches   suburbs   mission   faith   civil society  

Guadalajara (Agenzia Fides) - Looking for ways to evangelize the new "urban culture" and the inhabitants of the cities, places of constant change, of cultural multiplicity and demographic growth: this is the main purpose of the first Continental Urban Pastoral Meeting, which started in Guadalajara on 9 October. From Canada to Chile, the Church in the Americas is gathered for three days at the University of Valle Atemajac for the event entitled "The joy of the Gospel for big cities" is based on the reflections proposed by experts, followed by the exchange of opinions and experiences in 30 worktables. One will try, under the guidance of the Spirit, to imagine new ways of evangelization in the complexity of the urban environment. Cardinal José Francisco Robles, president of the Mexican Episcopal Conference, underlined in front of over 700 delegates the need for a "pastoral conversion" to be able "to go out to find God who lives in the city and who lives within the poor" and "to facilitate the encounter with the Lord". The rector of the host university, Fr. Francisco Ramírez Yanewz, indicated "two instruments": "the witness of faith and dialogue with the city".
During his homily, Cardinal Robles Ortega warned that in large cities "the culture of death developes more easily", through legislation, the media and threats to the integrity of the person. Among the themes in coming days: hospitality, the role of women and youth, a "Samaritan" Church, a new necessary economy, the construction of responsible citizenship and the "beatitudes of the city" (SM) (Agenzia Fides, 10/10/2018)


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