AMERICA/BRAZIL - Towards CELAM 5, Aparecida, 13 - 31 May 2007

Aparecida (Fides Service) - When we speak of a General Conference of Latin American Bishops' Conferences we refer to a Meeting of continental dimensions unique in its kind. It is neither a Council nor a Synod or any other of the assemblies mentioned in the Church's Code of Canon Law. It is a special meeting and, of their own initiative and in view of pastoral necessities, the Bishops of Latin America Latin America present the theme for reflection and ask the Pope to grant permission to convoke the Conference. If he agrees the Pope gives permission for the meeting and approves the theme. Essential elements of preparation: norms, participants, venue etc., are proposed to the Pope for ratification. This special type of meeting has no canonical statute of its own and therefore every General Conference must have norms drafted by the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and approved by the Roman Pontiff.
The importance of these General Conferences is well expressed in a few lines written some years ago by Germán Doig Klinge, in his book From Río to Santo Domingo where Doig writes: “The General Conferences of Latin American Bishops' Conferences are milestones along the journey of the pilgrim People of God in Latin America. They are important steps in the Church's growth in self-awareness of her mission in the history of the peoples living in that vast territory from the Great River to the Tierra del Fuego. They have undoubtedly left a profound mark on the life of the Church in the second half of this 20th century which is coming to a close. Clearly part of the great process of renewal ushered in by the Second Vatican Council, these Conferences are moments of grace and responsibility and conscious effort to discern God's Plan with eyes and heart attentive to the signs of these times so intense and dramatic, so contradictory and yet at times so overflowing with seeds of hope".
This 5th General Conference of Latin American Bishops' Conferences, the second to be held in Brazil, will bring together in Aparecida from 13 to 31 May 2007 delegates of Bishops who represent 43% of all the Catholic faithful in the world. This major ecclesial event will be held at Brazil's national Marian Shrine, Nuestra Senora de Aparecida”. (Fides 7/5/2007)