VATICAN - Papal Representatives from Latin America attend meeting in the Vatican

Vatican City (Fides Service) - From 15 to 17 February a group of Papal Representatives in Latin America are attending a meeting in the Vatican at Domus Sanctae Marthae. A Holy See press office statement said the meeting was convoked by the Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone in view of CELAM 5, the 5th General Conference of the Council of Latin American Bishops’ Conferences which will take place in Aparecida, Brazil, from 13 to 31 May.
The meeting is ideally connected with a similar meeting for Papal Representatives in Latin America held in Santo Domingo from 5 to 7 November in 1990, the focus of both meetings being the social and pastoral challenges facing society and the Catholic Church in that vast area of the world, described by Pope John Paul II of venerable memory, the Continent of Hope, because of the high percentage of Catholics living there (about 480,000,000 out of a population of 600,000,000).
After an introduction by the Cardinal Secretary of State, in an atmosphere of prayer and dialogue the 20 Papal Representatives with Archbishop. Leonardo Sandri, Substitute of the Secretariat of State and Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for relations with states, will share information and reflect together on the social, religious and ecclesial situation in Latin America. The reflections of the participants will follow introductory talks. The first conference on CELAM 5 will be given by Cardinal Re with interventions by Cardinals Errazuriz and Agnelo Geraldo Majella (the three presidents delegate appointed by His Holiness for the CELAM assembly); the other concerning the situation of the clergy and religious sects presented by Cardinal Claudio Hummes, Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy. The participants will also have at their disposal copies of other contributions prepared by the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life and the Congregation for Catholic Education, and by the Pontifical Council for the Family, for Justice and Peace, and for the Promotion of Christian Unity .
The meeting will conclude on Saturday morning with an Audience with Pope Benedict XVI. As already announced, the Pope will travel to Brazil to preside the opening ceremony of the 5th General Conference of the Council of Latin American Bishops’ Conferences, CELAM. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 15/2/2007; Righe 27, Parole 356)