CELAM Archives

Venezuelan president accuses bishops of ignoring Pope Francis

Global Church
May 15, 2017

Nicolas Maduro, the successor to Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, has accused his country’s bishops of ignoring Pope Francis’s call for dialogue by refusing to take part in an effort to rewrite the national constitution. Maduro himself, however, appears to be ignoring a call from the pope’s top aide to permit new elections.

Latin American bishops appeal for aid for food-short Venezuela

Catholic News Service, Global Church
May 14, 2017

Concerns about the health and well-being of Venezuelans are now of paramount concern to the bishops of CELAM (the Latin Americas bishops’ council.) There have been violent protests and shortages of food and medical supplies since the president caused a political crisis by expanding his personal power.

In the shadow of Romero, Latin American Church renews call to mission

Commentary, Global Church
May 9, 2017

A major assembly of bishops from the 22 member nations of Latin America’s council, CELAM, opens today in El Salvador. The shadow of Blessed Oscar Romero, the slain archbishop set to be canonized soon, hangs over the meeting — along with a strong sense that this is a favorable time for the continent.

Trump could awaken the sleeping giant of American Catholic unity

Analysis
November 15, 2016

If Trump carries through with his plans to tighten borders and deport millions of immigrants, he could well accelerate an inter-continental north-south Church response that pushes precisely in the opposite direction.

Can a witness to mercy unite the Americas?

Commentary, Global Church
September 7, 2016

Maybe hope is to be found in a prayerful unity that re-proposes the joy of the Gospel, as Pope Francis would put it, in countercultural living as a continental Christian community. That doesn’t require more meetings for discussion, but prayer and action – in that order — now.

Pope tells bishops of Americas that mercy is a memory

Global Church, Vatican
August 27, 2016

In a video message for a gathering of Catholic bishops from North, Central, and South America in Bogota, Colombia, Pope Francis insists that mercy is neither a theory nor an ideology, but a memory of having been sinful yet forgiven by God.