Many questions, many hopes” “

A meeting between the presidency of the Council of the Episcopal Conferences of Europe (CCEE) and the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM) was held in Bogotà (Colombia) in recent days. The aim of the meeting was to promote closer collaboration between the Churches of Europe and Latin America (cf. SirEurope 17/2003). We discussed it with CCEE secretary, Msgr. Aldo Giordano. What’s the situation in Latin America? “A generally depressing picture emerged at the social and economic level: in Argentina no way out of the economic crisis is yet visible. Corruption is too widespread and a new ruling class is unlikely to emerge in the short time. This crisis has also had serious consequences in Uruguay. In Bolivia cocaine is at the basis of tensions and conflicts between the government, which is trying to curb its production and trafficking, and the peasants, who live thanks to the cultivation of coca, and the ‘cocaleros’, who market it. In Venezuela it’s the institutional crisis that is the main scourge: the government elected in 1998 is attempting constitutional reforms on the basis of a democratic, peaceful, participative but armed revolution”. What responses is the Church giving? “The Church enjoys the trust of the people and has a recognized role of social reconciliation. We have perceived that the Church is the only institution that succeeds in being a trusted mediator for the local communities and in bringing hope. The bishops believe that the reality of the Church as ‘home and school of communion’ is the best response to people’s questions: it is the inspiration of CELAM’s pastoral plan for the years ahead: ‘Communion and Globalization’, and is becoming a central theme for theology”. What other themes are being particularly debated? “One is undoubtedly that of vocations: on the one hand there are huge parishes with only one priest, on the other there are dioceses, for example Medellin, with approximately 400 students of theology. Another theme is that of evangelization and the right relation between Christianity and local culture. Work is especially being devoted to a ‘theology of the indios'”. What does Europe look like, seen from this perspective? “Great interest was aroused at the meeting by the report on CCEE’s activities. Given the great diversity of languages, cultures and histories of the countries of our continent, someone even asked us how the existence of a pan-European organization like CCEE is possible. The process of European unification is also arousing interest, and is seen as a possible model for Latin America. We were asked many questions on the role of the Church in Europe, its credibility and popularity in a sometimes secularised context. Special gratitude is felt towards Europe for having brought to Latin America the gospel, philosophy, theology, and now the new ecclesial movements…”. Will this meeting give rise to new forms of partnership? “The Churches of Europe, and in particular those of Germany and Italy, are already supporting many projects in Latin America. We have, in particular, committed ourselves to stepping up the level of communication and pastoral collaboration in the fields of vocations, migrations, new alternative religious phenomena and updating on the development of the European Union. The bishops of CELAM asked us for concrete aid for seminaries and pastoral activities and also asked us to help train volunteers to come to Latin America from Europe. The bishops also stressed the need for us to work together in favour of Africa and Asia: that’s very significant”.