The following is the telegram sent by the Holy Father Leo XIV, for the seventieth anniversary of the First Conference of the Latin American Episcopate and the creation of CELAM, to His Eminence Cardinal Jaime Spengler, archbishop of Porto Alegre and president of CELAM:
Telegram of the Holy Father
HIS EMINENCE CARDINAL JAIME SPENGLER
ARCHBISHOP OF PORTO ALEGRE
PRESIDENT OF CELAM
ON THE OCCASION OF THE 40TH GENERAL ORDINARY ASSEMBLY OF CELAM, COMMEMORATING THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST CONFERENCE OF THE LATIN AMERICAN EPISCOPATE AND THE CREATION OF THE EPISCOPAL COUNCIL, I WARMLY GREET ALL THE BISHOPS OF LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, JOINED IN A COLLEGIAL SPIRIT TO DISCERN TOGETHER THE CURRENT CHALLENGES TO THE CHURCH IN LATIN AMERICA AND TO SEEK, IN AFFECTIVE AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNION, PASTORAL INITIATIVES THAT LEAD TO SOLUTIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CRITERIA OF THE SACRED SCRIPTURE, TRADITION AND THE MAGISTERIUM.
I JOIN IN GIVING THANKS TO THE LORD FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THIS HAPPY EVENT, WHICH REMINDS US THAT THE LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN EPISCOPAL COUNCIL IS A SIGN OF COLLEGIALITY, AS WELL AS THE MEANS OF CONTACT, COLLABORATION AND SERVICE TO THE EPISCOPAL CONFERENCES OF LATIN AMERICA IN THE TASK OF EVANGELIZATION AND PASTORAL ATTENTION TO THE HOLY FAITHFUL PILGRIM PEOPLE OF GOD IN THIS BELOVED CONTINENT. IN THE CURRENT HISTORICAL SITUATION, IN WHICH A LARGE NUMBER OF MEN AND WOMEN SUFFER THE TRIBULATIONS AND POVERTY CAUSED BY CONTINUING CRISES ON A CONTINENTAL AND GLOBAL SCALE, WE URGENTLY NEED TO REMEMBER THAT IT IS THE RISEN ONE, PRESENT IN OUR MIDST, WHO PROTECTS AND HEALS THE CHURCH, RESTORING HOPE TO HER, THROUGH THE LOVE THAT “HAS BEEN POURED OUT INTO OUR HEARTS THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO US” (RM 5:5), EARNESTLY BESEECHING HIM TO STRENGTHEN HER IN HER MISSION TO GO OUT TO MEET SO MANY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, TO PROCLAIM TO THEM THE MESSAGE OF SALVATION OF JESUS CHRIST AND TO SHARE WITH THEM THE JOY THAT COMES FROM A PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH HIM.
AS I THANK CELAM FOR THE SERVICE OF MISSIONARY ANIMATION IT PROVIDES IN THESE LATIN AMERICAN LANDS, I ASK YOU TO PRAY TO THE GOOD SHEPHERD FOR ME, THAT I MAY ALWAYS BE FAITHFUL TO THE MINISTRY IN FAVOUR OF THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH THAT SHE HAS WISHED TO ENTRUST TO ME. WHILE INVOKING THE CONSTANT PROTECTION OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE, I IMPART TO YOU FROM MY HEART THE APOSTOLIC BLESSING, AS A PLEDGE OF ABUNDANT HEAVENLY GIFTS.
LEO P.P. XIV
