Latin American Episcopal Council, created in 1954, which coordinates religious activities and joint responsibilities in the Latin American Churches.
The main episcopal conferences organized by CELAM have had a particular impact on the progress of the Dioceses and Secretariats of Latin America. These Conferences were very significant in the 20th century: the first in Rio de Janeiro in 1955; the second in Medellín in 1968; the third in Puebla in 1979; the fourth in Sto. Sunday in 1992.
The problems dealt with by CELAM have been varied: the situation of the clergy, social justice, violence, evangelization, the situation of young people, unemployment and poverty, dictatorships and freedom, harmony between regions, sects, etc. And the slogans have been decisive, especially those of Medellin and Puebla, for the ordering of the Church.
In them, catechesis has had a singular value because of what represents the youngest population of the entire continent and because of the enormous moral and spiritual transformation of the Continent, plagued by poverty, convulsed by Protestant groups and, above all, by sects. of all kinds promoted abroad as compensation for the growing social awareness, the awakening of the indigenous masses not yet westernized in language and customs and the theology of liberation that was widely spread.
The General Conferences of CELAM have been clear and unequivocal: education, especially religious education, is the great need of Latin America.
Pedro Chico González, Dictionary of Catechesis and Religious Pedagogy, Editorial Bruño, Lima, Peru 2006
Source: Dictionary of Catechesis and Religious Pedagogy
(Latin American Episcopal Council)
DecEc
A
Sponsored by the General Conference of the Latin American Episcopate of Rio de Janeiro (July 25-August 4, 1955), the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM) was approved by Pius XII on November 2, 1955. The Statutes that determine its nature, composition and purpose were sanctioned by Paul VI on November 9, 1974, which makes it the first continental organization of Bishops of the Catholic Church.
CELAM’s essential characteristic, affirmed Paul VI, is “to be a sign and instrument of episcopal collegiality at the service of the local Churches”, specifying its “mission of communion and service” (Message to CELAM in 1972). Hence arises the spirit of solidarity and intra-ecclesial communion as a body of relationship, collaboration and service of the Episcopal Conferences of Latin America, represented in its midst by the Presidents themselves and by a Delegate of each of them by election.
CELAM has the mission of studying problems of common interest to the Church in Latin America (and in the Caribbean, an expression added after the Santo Domingo Conference in 1992), seeking solutions, ensuring the coordination of Catholic activities, promoting and support initiatives of common interest, deal with the preparation of the General Conferences of the Latin American Episcopate when the Holy See decides to convoke them and also with other problems that may be entrusted to it. It exercises its own functions through the General Secretariat and its biannual ordinary meetings.
It must be distinguished from the Pontifical Commission for Latin America (CAL), instituted by Pius XII on April 21, 1958 with the function of studying in a unitary way the main problems of Catholic life, the defense of the faith and the increase of religion in Latin America, favoring close collaboration with the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia and also with the aim of helping CELAM. CAL has been incorporated since July 1969 into the Congregation for Bishops, and was restructured by John Paul II with the motu proprio Decessores Nostri of June 18, 1988, which determines its structure, purpose, activity and norms. Such guidance was collected by the Apostolic Constitution Pastor bonus, arts. 83ff. of June 28, 1988. Its president is the prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, assisted by a vice-president bishop.
The four General Conferences of the Latin American Episcopate, held in the cities of Rio de Janeiro (1955), Medellín (1968), Puebla (1979) and Santo Domingo (1992), have profoundly marked the life of the Church in Latin America, although they have It was the last three that, when carried out after Vatican II, have been decisive for the application of the conciliar event in their lands. Now, these four general conferences have inherited the spirit of collegiality that had been lived in the times of the constituent evangelization of the New World in the so-called Ecclesiastical Boards and in the Provincial Councils and, later, in the Plenary Council of Latin America, held in Rome in 1899. Here is a presentation of the four general conferences of the Latin American episcopate:
Rio de Janeiro (1955): had as a manifest desire to strengthen the faith in Latin America while promoting a renewed evangelization. The bishops insisted not only on “the need to safeguard the patrimony of the Catholic faith in Latin America, but also that this great continent respond fully to its apostolic vocation” (Preamble, 3). The “central objective” was “the shortage of priests” and, in turn, it was about religious instruction, the urgency of a more active commitment in the social field and special attention to indigenous populations (Declaration, I- IV).
Medellín (1968): presided over by Paul VI with this theme: Presence of the Church in the current transformation of Latin America, in the light of the Second Vatican Council. The accent that runs through the entire document is the need for the “integral development” of the person, in line with Paul VI’s encyclical Populorum progressio. It is, in fact, about the “passage from less human conditions to more human conditions” (Document, 14), since “we, the new people of God, cannot help but feel his step that saves, when the “true development, which is the passage, for each one and for all, from less human conditions of life, to more human conditions” (Populorum progressio, 20s.)” (Introduction, 6). This approach is not only the main emphasis dealt with in Medellin, but also allows a more unified reading of all its conclusions (Document, Introduction and Message to the peoples). Medellin is considered the “Pentecost of Latin America” and the one that has most changed pastoral care in Latin America, as a “prophetic presence of the Church.” In this sense, it meant the final acceptance, by the bishops, of the basic ecclesial communities, considered as “the initial cell of the ecclesiastical structure” (Document, 10) and called to revitalize the Church in its evangelizing work. In turn, the presence and activity of the laity found a new and wide space (Document, 20).
Puebla (1979): presided over by John Paul II with this theme: Evangelization in the present and in the future of Latin America. It was a broad and dynamic deepening —not without tensions— of Medellín. Its main accent is the combination of communion and participation, as the Bishops themselves underline: “we believe in the efficacy of the evangelical value of communion and participation, to generate creativity, promote experiences and new pastoral projects” (Message, 9). Five are the most significant themes: the historical perspective, the strong ecclesiology of communion, the approach to the theme of culture, the anthropological foundation and the development of Mariology. It is a broad, nuanced and concrete diagnosis where the novelty of the deepening of Latin American identity and the Catholic substratum of its culture appears, together with the revitalization of popular religiosity. Contrary to certain expectations, Puebla did not condemn “the theologies” of liberation, but rather placed conditions on them based on a section entitled “Discernment of Liberation in Christ” (nn 480-490), where the criticism of some of its methods, perhaps excessively political, and its value is affirmed if it is carried out under the sign of “fidelity to the word of God, to the living tradition of the Church, to her Magisterium” (n 489).
Santo Domingo (1992): inaugurated by Juan Pablo II in the year of the V centenary of the arrival of the faith to the continent with this theme: New Evangelization, human promotion and Christian culture. Jesus Christ yesterday, today and forever (Heb 13,8). The main accent was the person and message of the Lord Jesus, as the center of the confession of faith, in clear continuity with Vatican II, Medellín and Puebla. It is also a Christological reading in terms of reconciliation and solidarity (cf Message, 46s.; Document, 77.204.288). In turn, the theme of commitment to the poor from the Gospel is widely ratified with important insights. In addition, new issues are explained, such as the evangelization of the city, the problem of consumerism, sects, the defense of life, the role of women or the function of ecclesial movements. All with a pastoral spirit that expresses the general orientation for a new evangelization centered on the proclamation of Jesus Christ that responds to the needs of human development and generates a culture of solidarity and reconciliation.
In summary, the predominant ecclesiological themes of these last three CELAM Conferences are the following: 1) a living Church: in fact, starting with Medellín, the entire Church in Latin America identified itself with the orientations of Vatican II and this led to the beginning of a growing ecclesial enthusiasm; thus arises the need to unite faith and life, the understanding of the Church and its mission, the formation of ecclesial communities, the relationship between the celebration of the liturgy and the commitments of Christian life and the commitment to transform an unjust society in light of the values of the Gospel… “If the Council was the seed, Medellín was the rain to make it flourish in our lands”; 2) a Church of communion and evangelization: from the Evangelii nuntiandi (1975), which Puebla strongly assumed, the theme of evangelization unified as a key word the pastoral action of Latin America; in turn, the ecclesiology of communion with its demand for participation made it possible to renew the life of ecclesial communities around the diocesan Church; At the same time, the evangelical option for the poor was deepened, seeking to create conditions for their development and liberation, renouncing ideologies that were not compatible with the Gospel; finally, it was also preferentially opted for young people, which made possible the development of a renewed youth ministry; 3) a Church of witness, dialogue, proclamation and service: thus, evangelization includes the community, missionary, catechetical, liturgical, ecumenical and interreligious dialogue dimension with the…