Latin American bishops planning major conference for 2007

Published: 2004-06-30

BOGOTA, Colombia (CNS) -- The bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean will hold their fifth general conference in 2007 in Rome, said an announcement by the Latin American bishops' council. The overall theme will be the new evangelization needed in the region at the start of the third millennium, said the June 24 announcement. Specific issues to be discussed include the weaknesses in the region's democracies, social justice and widespread poverty, globalization, religious sects, corruption, violence and international trade relations, said the announcement. The monthlong meeting will gather representatives of the 22 bishops' conferences in Latin America and the Caribbean representing 43 percent of the world's Catholic population, said the announcement. The general conference was approved by Pope John Paul II and communicated to the bishops on May 31, it said.

Copyright (c) 2004 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .