The most renowned theologians of Latin America and the Caribbean shared their faith-experience, theological knowledge, history of accompaniment of CLAR and their provocative orientations in order to look at the horizon of religious life from June 20-22.
All the presidents and secretaries who have served the CLAR for 50 years were also present. Both in the magisterial conferences of the morning (the principal conferences) and in the development of thematic committees of the afternoon ( working committees), the dynamics See-Evaluate-Act was adopted, trying to remember to elaborate proposals, clarifying in order to have a glimpse of perspectives and searching new inspiring lines in order to create new horizons that may help revitalize religious life.
The congress had 820 participants from the entire continent, with a very significant presence of young religious. Conferences and Committees
The whole congress was organized by the President of the CLAR, by the Team of Advisory theologians and by the Conference of Religious of Colombia. There were seven principal conferences and twenty-two working committees with many other speakers. At the end of the three long and intense days, a copy of all the talks in book form with 620 pages, was submitted.
The last talk was given by Pedro Barreto, Archbishop of Huancayo ( Peru), who has received death threat. His exposition provoked the enthusiasm of the participants. Monsignor Ignazio Gogorza, SCI, Bishop of Encarnación (Paraguay) and President of the Commission on Religious life of CELAM was also present. He presided a Eucharistic celebration and delivered a greeting to the congress.
The Assembly of CLAR
On June 19, in Bogotá, the seat of the Episcopal Conference of Colombia, the 17th General Assembly of CLAR begun, which lasted until the 27th of June, with an interval of three day, 20-22, which were dedicated to the Congress held in celebration of the 50th year of the said organization.
There were 83 religious participants representing 22 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. The theme of the Assembly was “Towards a mystical-prophetic religious life revitalized in order to give life.”
After analyzing the socio-politico-economic context of Latin America and the Caribbean, a reflection on the proposed theme followed and the following words were proposed as “Inspiring Horizon:”
«Aware of the new situations that make up our socio-political, cultural, religious and ecclesial context, we listen to the call of the God of Life to recognize the diversity of new emerging subjects, their necessities and complains. The encounter between the attention to the reality, “Have mercy” (Mt. 15: 22) and the Word, “This is my beloved Son, listen to him” (Mt. 17:5), illumines and moves from the action of the Spirit, our processes of humanization, communion, revitalization and transfiguration into creative fidelity (VC 37) to the Kingdom, loving until martyrdom (Cf. Jn 13:1) ».