Episcopal Conference of Latin America

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Based in

bishops of Latin America, created in 1955 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[1]

Early history

From July 25 to August 4,1955, bishops from all over Latin America met in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the first meeting of CELAM, with Pope Pius XII formally approving the organization on November 2 of that year.[2] The bishops that met for the 1955 General Conference highlighted three main problems the church faced in Latin America: shortage of clergy, lack of organization, and pressing social issues - calling for an increase in social work by the Church.[3] Concerns including the rise of communism, secularism, and Protestantism were also included in the plenary meeting.[4] Overall, the organization was created to support the pastoral work of the bishops, and to respond to problems facing the Church in Latin America.[2] Bishops with diverging politics, such as Hélder Câmara and Jaime de Barros Câmara, helped form the organization and its mission.[5][6]

CELAM expanded rapidly in the 60s and experienced a demographic change in the mid-60s. From 1959 to 1964, under Miguel Darío Miranda y Gómez as president, the organization had two sub-departments -- Catechetics and the Committee on Faith. By 1965, with Manuel Larraín as president, the organization operated with nine: Education, Lay Apostolates, Liturgy, Pastoral of CELAM, Public Opinion, Semiñaries, University Pastoral, Vocations and Ministries, and Social Action.[7] Four new institutes were also created by CELAM under the leadership of Manuel Larraín: the Institute of Pastoral Liturgy and the Pastoral Institute for Latin America in Quito, Ecuador, the Institute on Latin American Catechetics in Santiago, Chile, and the Institute on Latin American Catechetics in Manizales, Colombia.[8] Progressive bishops and their staff quickly filled the newly created positions, making CELAM a successful vehicle for Liberation theology, as the organization provided necessary support and protection for the movement to grow.[8]

The

Ecclesial Base Communities - local groups that reinterpreted the biblical message, giving it a clear political content to put it at the service of popular struggles - as well as in the organization's extensive educational work focused on social issues provided to clergy, laity, and congregants of the Church.[11] The conference is credited for propelling the movement of Liberation theology forward, with "organizational strength" in the Latin American Church's progressive sector considered to be at an all time high from 1968 to 1972.[8]

Conflict over liberation theology

CELAM support for liberation theology was frowned on by the

Antonio Samoré, in charge of relations between the Roman Curia and the CELAM as the leader of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America
, was ordered to put a term to this orientation.

With

Marxist
elements. In his travel to
Sandinistas
, insisting on the Vatican's sole authority.

Present programs

CELAM currently supports programs like

FARC

Cardinal

Archbishop of San Juan
).

Present leadership

Past leadership

Member Conferences

See also

References

  1. ^ Cleary, Edward L (2007), "CELAM", Encyclopedia of Politics and Religion (2 ed.), Washington: CQ Press, pp. 112–114, retrieved 2022-04-25
  2. ^ a b Pius XII. Apostolic Letter Ad Ecclesiam Christi, 29 June 1955
  3. ^ "Celam: Documento de Río de Janeiro (1955)". Somos Vicencianos (in European Spanish). 2015-01-28. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
  4. OCLC 226084550
    .
  5. ^ "Obituary: Archbishop Helder Camara". The Independent. 1999-09-01. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
  6. ^ "Las tareas que cumplirá el Cardenal Errázuriz en la Presidencia del CELAM". www.iglesia.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-05-16.
  7. OCLC 908263754
    .
  8. ^
    OCLC 912765562
    .
  9. ISSN 0011-1953
    .
  10. ^ Gremillion, Joseph (1976). The Gospel of Peace and Justice: Catholic Social Teaching Since Pope John. Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books. pp. 451, 460, 446.
  11. ISSN 0123-885X
    .

External links
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Episcopal_Conference_of_Latin_America&oldid=1218848632"