Globalization erodes Latin American Catholicism, church official says

Published: 2004-03-25

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Cultural and political globalization is eating into Latin America's Catholic identity, said Father Sidney Fones Infante, associate secretary-general of the Latin American bishops' council. "Issues like gay marriage in the United States influence our political elites," he told Catholic News Service. In the process, many cultural and moral values -- such as the concept of the family -- are put into doubt, he said March 24 while in Washington for meetings with U.S. church officials. "At stake is the Catholic identity of Latin America," said Father Fones, a Chilean. The Vatican and the bishops' council, known by its Spanish acronym as CELAM, are organizing a 2006 meeting of about 300 Latin American bishops to deal with issues raised by globalization, he said. The meeting will unite bishops from the 22 national bishops' conferences belonging to CELAM, a service organization for the Latin American bishops.

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