The Ecclesial Assembly of Latin America and the Caribbean is nearing its conclusion with the adoption of twelve pastoral priorities.
The priorities are:
- Recognise and value the initiative of young people in the ecclesial community and society as agents of transformation.
- Increase formation in synodality to eradicate clericalism.
- In the light of the People of God and Vatican II, renew our conception and experience of the Church as People of God, in communion with the richness of its ministeriality, while avoiding clericalism and promoting pastoral conversion.
- Accompany victims of social and ecclesial injustices with a process of recognition and reparation.
- Promote the participation of lay people in spaces of cultural, political, social and ecclesial transformation.
- Reaffirm and give priority to an integral ecology in our communities beginning from the four dreams of ‘Querida Amazonia’ (Beloved Amazonia).
- Boost the active participation of women in ecclesial ministries, instances of government, discernment and decision-making.
- Hear the cry of the poor, excluded and the discarded.
- Foster a personal encounter with Jesus Christ incarnated in the reality of the continent.
- Promote and defend the dignity of life of the human person from conception to natural death.
- Reform the formative itineraries of seminaries, including themes such as integral ecology, Indigenous peoples, inculturation, interculturality and the social thought of the Church.
- Accompany Indigenous and African-American peoples in the defence of life, land and culture.
Many of these are also directly relevant to Australian circumstances, particularly in light of the forthcoming Second Assembly of the Australian Plenary Council in July 2022.
From the point of view of promoting the lay apostolate of lay people, the priority to “promote the participation of lay people in spaces of cultural, political, social and ecclesial transformation” is particularly significant.
SOURCE
Rafael Luciani (Twitter)
