Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bogota (Agenzia Fides) - 'Consecrated Life as a gift of God to the Particular Church' is the theme of a Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Colombia which started on 2 July with a discourse by Conference president Archbishop Luis Augusto Castro Quiroga of Tunja (see Fides 27/6/2007). In his address the Archbishop spoke of a " special bond between the bishop and religious life because both are called to the same mission, to live Christian life in its most perfect form ", mission and communion, “more than ever necessary today". The Assembly will be important for consecrated persons and for the bishops themselves. The Archbishop analysed the positive aspects, as well as the main problems and challenges in Colombia, using as a starting point the conclusions of the 5th General Conference of the Council of Bishops' Conferences of Latin America and the Caribbean in Aparecida held in May. Among the positive aspects he underlined the great values of the Catholic Church such as love for Jesus Christ, devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, present in a rich and profound popular piety, then the generous work of missionaries, efforts for renewal in parishes, the presence of ecclesial movements and new communities, the consolidation of democracy.
However not lacking he said are signs for concern such as a weakening of Christian life in society and the sense of belonging to the Church; weakening of the handing on of the faith in the family; evangelisation with little ardour and lacking new methods and expression; high percentage of Catholic unaware of their missionary duty; globalisation without solidarity has a negative effect on the poorest people; poor quality education leaves young Colombians below the levels of competitiveness and which to the crisis of the family, produces in them serious affective and emotional problems; shortage of Catholic leaders with a strong personality, consistent with the faith in politics, in communications and in the university world.
Archbishop Castro Quiroga identified urgent challenges: counter the anti-culture of death with the Christian culture of solidarity, re-launch Catholic identity in schools with a bold missionary impulse, assume concern for the family as a transversal axis of the Church's evangelising activity, guarantee effect presence of women in ministries entrusted to lay people in the Church.
The Archbishop also spoke of the peace process: "peace is not an optional elements in the life of the Christian... it is one of the most sacred inclinations of every human person and of the Colombian peoples ". In this sense he recalled "priests and religious and lay people all over the country who silently stand by their communities in the midst of armed conflict". He recalled the most important and determinant moments in the peace process when the Bishops intervened directly. Archbishop Castro Quiroga said he hoped the whole country “will live a pedagogical and spiritual experience of purification and change of criteria" which will lead it to choose the path of honesty which is longer and more arduous that the short cut of illegality, rapid and easy, and so start the journey to the truth which alone leads to peace". And he concluded expressing solidarity to displaced persons in the country, a national tragedy, and Colombians “who have had to leave the country to protect their lives from real danger and whom we hope will soon return ". He said he hoped this was the beginning of a new season of communion between Consecrated Life and the Life of the Bishop. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 3/7/2007; righe 47, parole 625)
