by Alessandra Borges
Earlier on Wednesday, 30,the 52nd General Assembly of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (Catholic) opened with the celebration of Holy Mass at 7:30 am at the National Shrine of Aparecida (SP).
The presider was the president of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (Catholic), Cardinal Raymundo Damasceno Assis, and concelebrated by the vice president, Bishop José Belisario; and the Secretary-General, Bishop Leonardo Steiner.
During the celebration, the Cardinal Damasceno recalled the joy that the Church celebrated on Sunday, 27, with the canonization of John XXIII and John Paul II ; particularly the Brazilians celebrated the canonization of José de Anchieta .
“Holiness is a universal vocation and canonization is a stimulus for us, because it offers us concrete models of holiness and communion of the Mystical Body of Christ which is the Church,” the cardinal said.
The central issue addressed by the bishops during the meeting, the document “Community of communities: a new parish.” According to Archbishop Damasceno, among several topics studied by the bishops, the reality of the parishes will be discussed in a special way, it is necessary to renew, in parish communities, the missionary spirit, as Pope Francis requested.
“We will discuss, once again, the draft document “Community of communities: a new parish “; now enriched by the contributions that came from many parishes, dioceses and regional people, individually, in small groups, as they tried to reflect on the topic and gave their collaboration. To be living the faith community is a form of brotherly love, and this is all the support we to live the mission of proclaiming the Gospel with joy and enthusiasm,” said the Cardinal Damasceno.
The Cardinal recalled the words of the Holy Father about the lay faithful and the Church: “The vast majority of the people of God consists of laymen. At their service, is a minority: the ordained ministers. The awareness grew of identity and mission of the laity in the Church “( Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium ).
“The Church in Brazil in the light of 50 years of Vatican Council II, to assess the ways of lay people and support them to advance the exercise of their vocation and mission of the Church in Brazilian society,” affirmed Cardinal Damascus.
Another important subject that will be debated by the bishops, the document concerning the agrarian question in Brazil, demonstrating the concern of the Church regarding social affairs. The cardinal said that this document will be the word of the pastors of the Church, and not technicians, on a topic that has profound implications for the development of Brazilian society and of the poor.
“This document will be a way of illuminating this question so current and urgent in the light of the Gospel and the social teaching of the Church,” said the cardinal.
The archbishop asked the prayers of the lay people in order that this meeting can achieve the proposed general guidelines in the evangelizing action of the Church in Brazil so that they can preach from Jesus Christ, a missionary and prophetic Church, nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist.