December 14, 2012. (Romereports.com) Ecclesia in America, the Vatican's conference on the state of the Church in the Americas,
closed off on the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
With a news sense of unity, more than 280 participants will now return to their respective countries, spread out across the Western Hemisphere, home to more than half of Catholics worldwide.
CARD. SEAN O'MALLEY
Archbishop of Boston (USA)
“I think the whole purpose of the conference has been to promote communion between the Catholics, the churches in the American continent and it certainly has been very successful."
Throughout the four day conference, clergy men and women, as well as lay leaders, had the chance to interact and share their experiences with one another.
This exchange of information had been greatly lacking since the first synod for the Americas, according to organizers.
GUZMAN QUIRRIQUIRY
Secretary, Pontifical Commission for Latin America
“We had not followed up with enough intensity, commitment and responsibility on behalf of our churches.”
The conference, organized by the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and the Knights of Columbus, dealt with many topics. They ranged from discussing the importance of new media, to finding ways to get inspire parishioners to rediscover their faith.
But perhaps the dominant discussion featured the flow of people from one side of the hemisphere to the other, and how to deal with a changing pastoral dynamic, as the need for priests with sensibilities to Hispanics grows across the United States.
CARD. SEAN O'MALLEY
Archbishop of Boston (USA)
“I'm hoping that perhaps the different conversations taking place here that people will be able to try some new ideas that are coming up to be able to have closer relations among our churches, Particularly since so many of our churches either are sending or are receiving immigrants, so there's a very important pastoral dimension to all that we're doing here.”
This year's conference marked the 15th anniversary of the synod for the Americas. Organizers bill it as a great display of faith at the heart of the Catholic Church.
RCarr
AA
JM
-PR
