At the Opening of the 19th Assembly of CELAM (9 March 1983)

On Wednesday, the Holy Father addressed the Opening of the 19th Assembly of CELAM, Consejo Episcopal Latinoamericano (Latin American Council of Bishops) in the Port-au-Prince Cathedral, Haiti, on being a Bishop today in Latin America. They are to be Bishops of a “Renewed Evangelizaion.”

Beloved brothers in the Episcopate

I invite you to join in my fervent gratitude to divine Providence, for allowing my apostolic journey to Central America to culminate with this act, which I desired to visit responding to a true impulse of the heart.

The circumstances of people, time and place contribute to making this meeting particularly important for me. The people are you, leading members or delegates to this meeting of the Latin American Episcopal Council. The time or occasion is the opening of the XIX General Assembly of CELAM. The place, this island, to whose eastern part Christopher Columbus arrived almost half a millennium ago, discovering the New World, to which the Gospel was then announced.

Feeling the joy of meeting you — as an older brother among brothers — I wish to reflect with you on some points that the present circumstances suggest to us.

I. Being a Bishop today in Latin America

You represent the almost 700 Bishops of Latin America, fathers and spiritual guides of a community that will soon constitute almost half of the Catholics of the entire world. With your dedication, in the midst of many difficulties, sacrifices and renunciations, you fulfill the mission that the Good Shepherd entrusted to you for the salvation of your faithful.

You are the visible heads of many other Particular Churches, spread throughout this continent, and you wish to remain faithful to your demanding responsibility as Bishops in this current moment in Latin America.

1. Bishops of a deeply religious people

Four years ago, the Bishops present in Puebla sought to examine in depth the characteristics of the people of which the Lord made you Pastors.

These are deeply religious people, who ask for bread from the Word of God, in whom they have placed their trust. A people whose religion, in its most characteristic cultural form, is an expression of the Catholic faith. Therefore, it can be said that, despite the present deficiencies, the faith of the Church has deeply marked the soul of Latin America, constituting the cultural matrix of the continent.

It is not possible to be a Bishop in Latin America today without bearing these facts in mind. They give your countries a physiognomy that distinguishes them from other countries.

Your people, marked to their core by the Catholic faith, ask for a deepening and strengthening of their faith, through religious education, the gift of the sacraments, and all forms of food that satisfy their spiritual hunger.

However, we must also recognize, with realism and humble lucidity, the serious problems that weigh on these people from a religious and ecclesiastical point of view: the chronic and acute shortage of priestly and religious vocations, as well as of other pastoral agents, with the consequent result of religious ignorance, superstition and syncretism among the humblest; the growing indifferentism, and even atheism, caused by modern secularization, especially in large cities and in the most educated segments of the population; the bitterness of many who, because of a mistaken option for the poor, feel abandoned and ignored in their religious aspirations and needs; the development of religious groups, which often lack the true evangelical message, and which, with their methods of action that do not respect true religious freedom, pose serious obstacles to the mission of the Catholic Church as well as other Christian Confessions.

The Latin American Bishop cannot fail to carefully examine this broad set of pastoral requirements. He must do so with the seriousness that his clear awareness of his duty to the Church inspires, but at the same time with great confidence in the resources of grace. He will therefore place himself before this crowd of humble people who eagerly ask for the bread of the Word, of the knowledge of God, of spiritual breath, of the bread of the Eucharist, for whose distribution there is a dramatic lack of ministers (cf. Lam . 4 , 4).

two . Bishops committed to their spiritual mission

Being a Bishop today in Latin America means seeking, often at the cost of a lot of time, health, talent, the appropriate answers to this anxious spiritual hunger of an entire people, to prevent this same people from going to beg in other places for the bread they You may not find it in your Church or in your Pastors.

This is not the time to delve deeper into the themes that I have already discussed throughout this apostolic journey. To you and your brothers in the Episcopate, in solidarity with me in my sufferings and consolations (cf. 2 Cor. 1, 7), I deliver and entrust the entire set of reflections and pastoral guidelines that I have been sowing during the last few days, and which can be a valuable help for the Church throughout this part of the American continent. I leave it to you to make them bear fruit more deeply in the fertile soil of your Churches.

However, I cannot fail to refer specifically to some important tasks, specifically episcopal, which alone would be enough to occupy a Bishop pastorally, and which would create a void if they were not carried out properly. I mean, as you can easily imagine:

— the call of numerous and qualified young people, giving them adequate training for the priesthood or religious life;

— the great attention to be given to lay people, in order to allow them to be actively involved in the Church and to take effective action in society;

— catechesis, an instrument par excellence for educating future generations in the faith, in order to guide them towards social dynamism;

— pastoral concern for the family.

To achieve all this, being a Bishop today in Latin America will always consist, and with ever greater urgency, of being a proclaimer of the revealed Word. I urge you to do so, dear brothers, not only by evangelizing personally, but also — since each Bishop is "announcer of the Word of truth" ( 2 Tim . 2, 15) — by ensuring that, with the help of your Churches, no one should lack the Word of God (cf. 1 Sam. 3, 1).

In this mission of such great importance, be teachers and guides in the faith, proposing without ambiguity the doctrine of the Church; watch with kindness and firmness for its integrity and purity, correcting any doctrinal or moral deviations, which create so much damage and confusion among the faithful. Be equally sanctifiers of a people who are, fortunately, open to the Absolute of God, seeking the answers of faith to the questions that every man faces about himself, about life, suffering, death, eternity.

Do not fail to summon and exhort your priests to faithfully carry out their mission, in collaboration with you. Provide good preparation for young people who aspire to the ministerial priesthood, so that in the future they become servants of their people in their spiritual needs, without forgetting also those of a material nature. Awaken the conscience of religious men and women so that, with their own charisma, with the full availability that their consecration assures them, and with the testimony of their life characterized by adoration, the spirit of the beatitudes and the eschatological dimension , make your indispensable contribution to the evangelization of these people, thirsty for supernatural values.

It will be a true cross for a Bishop in Latin America, but it will also constitute one of his most rewarding tasks, consecrating his time, his energies, his gifts of spirit and heart, to building — even in the midst of tribulations, deficiencies and difficulties — Christian communities, perhaps poor in human resources, but rich in faith and inexhaustible charity.

3. Bishops for a suffering people

Being a Bishop today in Latin America also means feeling like a Pastor of a people that in recent years has certainly experienced notable material progress, and that is beginning to offer the world the results of its efforts in many fields of civilization, but still knows — and this is its most radical contradiction — immense areas of poverty, illiteracy, illness, marginalization. An honest analysis of the situation shows how deep injustices lie at its root, exploitation of some by others, serious lack of equity in the distribution of wealth and cultural goods.

To this problem we must add another one of equal gravity: recent history shows us how often many young people, whether due to misguided idealism; whether due to ideological pressure, or even due to party or system interests within the game of hegemonies, they give in to the temptation of fighting injustice with violence. In this way, wanting to repress violence with violence, they trigger a painful process that worries us all.

Your pastoral sensitivity suggests to you — in accordance with the guidelines of Puebla — that among the immense masses of poor people who make up a large part of your Churches, the poorest must have a preference in your heart as parents and in your concern for shepherds. You know, however, and so you proclaim, that such an option for them would be neither pastoral nor Christian if it were simply inspired by political or ideological criteria, if it were exclusive or discriminatory, or if it provoked feelings of hatred or struggle between brothers.

The Churches around the world are grateful to you for the testimony you give of an option that consists of being close to the poorest, without excluding anyone, in order to teach them to overcome everything that is unworthy of man, to teach them to seek true progress, not simply to become richer, but to be more people.

I invite you to allow yourselves to be paternally touched by the suffering of your faithful and poorest and most abandoned children, to ensure that your Churches — like that of Rome — also "preside over", according to their capacity, "over charity". Your communities, with their priests and deacons as guides, may increasingly promote integral human development, justice and equity, for the benefit, first and foremost, of those most in need. Communion and participation become increasingly visible. The temporal tasks of justice, peace, well-being, instruction and education, health and work, always count on well-prepared and safe lay people, receiving in a timely manner the light of faith and spiritual support that, by virtue of the your ordination, you and your priests must provide them.

4. Unity-Building Bishops

In the midst of conflicts, the vicious circle of death, the drama of violence that has caused so much innocent blood to flow, Bishops must be the "principles, signs and instruments of communion" that the Council recognizes in them.

Unfortunately, you will not always be able to overcome the wall of separation (cf. Eph 2:14). However, as men who have been "entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation" (cf. 2 Cor. 5:18), you must always avoid allowing your words or actions to widen divisions or worsen ruptures.

Always work, to the extent of your possibilities, with wisdom and patience, in favor of harmony and peace.

May your presence and your activity as Pastors be a constant stimulus and help for the reconstruction of a peace that overcomes conflicts.

II. THE CELAM

As I find you gathered together as Bishops to hold a CELAM Assembly, I feel the duty to address a word to you, albeit brief, in this regard.

I had the joy of being able to address a special greeting to the members of this ecclesiastical body on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of its foundation, in the same city in which it was constituted, Rio de Janeiro. And I want to do it again now, by meeting with your leaders and delegates, gathered here for an important work session.

CELAM undoubtedly has a special place in the Church due to its originality. The geo-social characteristics of Latin America favored its birth, and justify the existence of this organism, hardly conceivable on other continents.

I don't need to tell you with how much interest and attention I follow their programs and activities. The Episcopates of other continents, aware of your history, observe your achievements and do not hide their admiration, encouraging you to continue.

We are all aware that CELAM is not and cannot be a super-Conference; does not replace or diminish the importance of the various Episcopal Conferences in their powers and responsibilities. It is, by its nature and its original definition, a service provided to these Conferences, in line with their demands and needs.

The almost 28 years of existence and activity of this Organization show the importance of this service. For this reason, CELAM has become a meeting point, where Pastors have the opportunity to come together for a reciprocal exchange of experiences, to help each other, and to encourage each other in the common pastoral mission. In this same line of service, and without legal connotations, it is natural that CELAM also serves as a reference point or space for pastoral coordination, both for the benefit of one or another Episcopal Conference, as well as individual Bishops.

I wish to encourage you to carry forward, without weakening, the vocation and mission of this ecclesiastical institution. May its structures continue to improve and grow in effectiveness, and may its objectives become increasingly clear. Your Departments, Secretariats and Institutes should be increasingly organized. And may the people who work in them always have a deep conviction of serving a worthy cause of the Church.

I invoke divine blessing on the work that begins today, giving thanks to God for what this Organization has done throughout its 28 years of life. And in expressing my gratitude to the leaders who are now finishing their mandates, I ask the Lord to enlighten those who will take the destinies of CELAM into their own hands, so that they may lead it along the paths of faithful service to the Church in Latin America, in a spirit of communion and loyal collaboration with the universal Church and with the Successor of Peter.

III. Bishops for renewed evangelization

And now, my brother Bishops, finding myself in these lands that saw the birth of faith in the New Continent, it is natural that I evoke "the evangelizing work of the Church in Latin America", begun with its discovery, a work full of difficulties, marked by limitations and gaps, but also for generous and admirable results.

Looking today at the map of Latin America, with more than 700 Dioceses, with its insufficient but committed staff, with its staff and structures, its lines of action, the moral authority that the Church enjoys, we must recognize in everything This is the fruit of centuries of patient and persevering evangelization.

It's almost five centuries! In fact, the year 1992, already very close, will mark the 5th centenary of the discovery of America and the beginning of its evangelization.

As Latin Americans, you should celebrate this date with a serious reflection on the historical paths of the subcontinent, but equally with joy and pride. As Christians and Catholics, it is fair to remember this date with a look at these 500 years of work in proclaiming the Gospel and building the Church in these lands. Look with gratitude to God for the Christian and Catholic vocation of Latin America, and gratitude to those who were living and active instruments of evangelization. Look faithfully at your past of faith. Look at the challenges of the present and the efforts that are being made. Finally, look to the future, in order to see how to consolidate the work started.

The celebration of half a millennium of evangelization will have its full meaning if it is a renewed commitment on your part, as Bishops, together with your Presbytery and faithful, a commitment not to re-evangelization but to a new evangelization. New in its enthusiasm, its methods, its expression.

In this regard, allow me to present to you, summarized in brief words, the aspects that seem to me to be fundamental presuppositions for this new evangelization.

The first refers to ordained ministers. At the end of its half-millennium of existence, and finding itself on the threshold of the third Christian millennium, the Church in Latin America needs to maintain great vitality, which will be impossible if it does not have numerous and well-prepared priests. Raising new vocations and preparing them appropriately, in the spiritual, doctrinal and pastoral aspects, is, in a Bishop, a prophetic gesture, a making the future of the Church already present. I recommend that you dedicate yourself to this task, which will cost you worries and suffering, but also joy and hope.

The second aspect refers to lay people. It is not only the lack of priests but also and above all the self-understanding of the Church in Latin America, in the light of Vatican II and Puebla, that indicates the place of the laity in the Church and in society. The approach of the 500th anniversary of your evangelization must find all Bishops, together with their Churches, committed to forming an ever-increasing number of lay people ready to collaborate effectively in the evangelizing work.

A light that can guide the new evangelization — and this is the third aspect — is the Puebla document, dedicated to this theme, imbued with the teaching of Vatican II and coherent with the Gospel. In this sense, it is necessary to disseminate and eventually recover the integrity of the Puebla message, without distorted interpretations, without distorting reductionism and without undue application of some of its parts and elimination of others.

May these coming years, which will bring you face to face with such significant facts, find you, dear brothers, full of confidence in a new evangelizing effort.

May the three characteristics that distinguish the piety of your people be a pledge and guarantee of success in this mission: love for the Eucharist, devotion to the Mother of God, affectionate union with the Pope, as Successor of Saint Peter.

May the Apostolic Blessing that I impart to you with all my heart accompany you on this path. So be it.

Greeting in French at the end of the address

I address all the people who are in this Church and who perhaps do not understand the Spanish language. The Assembly of CELAM (Latin American Episcopal Council) was inaugurated in this language. I would like to take advantage of this unique opportunity to express my warmest wishes and grant a blessing to all those present in this Cathedral Church and beyond. I want to bless you as Bishop of Rome and Successor of Peter, at the same time that I do so collegially with my Brothers in the Episcopate, with all the Bishops present here.

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