December 10, 2012. (Romereports.com) Benedict XVI and Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet kicked off the Americas conference, which takes place at the Vatican from December 9-12.

Fifteen years after the synod for the Americas, bishops from all across the Western Hemisphere gathered once again to evaluate the goals and work agreed to during the Synod.

BENEDICT XVI
“The Catholic Church is convinced that the light for an adequate solution can only come from encounter with the living Christ, which gives rise to attitudes and way to acting based on love and truth. This is the decisive force which will transform the American continent.”

The Pope expressed his concern with emigration, drug trafficking, violence and poverty throughout the Americas. He also said that all of these issues need to be looked at closely, in order to find solutions.

On December 9, the Church honored Saint Juan Diego, who witnessed the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The Pope highlighted that the conference takes place during the Year of Faith and after a synod for the New Evangelization.

BENEDICT XVI
“Dear Friends, the love of Christ compels us to devote ourselves without reserve to proclaiming his Name throughout America, bringing it freely and enthusiastically to the hearts of all its inhabitants. There is no more rewarding or beneficial work that this.”


The conference is organized by the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and the Knights of Columbus, the largest lay association in the United States. There are over 250 participants, including five cardinals and over 40 bishops from North and South America.


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