Alessandra Borges
from the newsroom

Pope Francis as Cardinal Bergoglio, during the V Conference of CELAM

It is important that Catholics remember that Pope Francis already was in Brazilian lands, most precisely in Aparecida, SP, Brasil, in 2007, to participate in the V General Conference of Latin-American and Caribbean Bishops– CELAM

Then, as Cardinal Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he was designated as president of the Editing Commission of the Conclusive Document of Conference V, The Aparecida Document.

One of the points the document stresses is the will to renew, in all members of the Church, the missionary enthusiam, thus forming disciples of Jesus Christ and collaborating with all people that they may have a personal encounter with Jesus.

In accord with the president of the National Conference of Brazilian Bishops (CNBB) Cardinal Raymundo Damasceno, that in that time was president of CELAM, Pope Francis should have, in his memory and in his heart the conclusions of the Aparecida Document. Cardinal Damasceno still remembers the authorities that were visiting the Holy Father received as a remembrance a copy of the document.

“I would say that Pope Francis may have this document in his memory and values it greatly. Inclusive, he has given the Document of Aparecida, as remembrance to the authorities that visit him, like President Cristina Kirchner (Argentina) and Dilma Rouseff (Brazil) Also it is possible to see that he has cited it many times in his homilies and his pronouncements,” said Cardinal Damasceno.

The Cardinal still stresses that many of present thoughts of this document have become part of the pronouncements of the Pontiff and probably, will be part of the reflections of the Holy Father during his visit to Brazil.

This thought materializes to the measure that Pope Francis accentuates the relevance  of the mission in the Church, the renewal of parishes and the importance of cordiality and of communion in the Church,” the Cardinal stressed.