Pope: Faith, commitment of Americas' Catholics are powerful resources

Published: 2004-11-05

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Meeting eight bishops from North and South America and the Caribbean, Pope John Paul II said the deep faith of the region's Catholics and their commitment to justice and solidarity were powerful resources for fighting the "culture of death." The pope prayed that Catholics in the Americas would see a growth of "holiness, of sincere conversion to Christ, of solid communion and of solidarity." Pope John Paul met Nov. 5 at the Vatican with members of the council charged with evaluating and encouraging follow-up to the 1997 Synod of Bishops for America and the pope's 1999 letter, "The Church in America." While life in the region is marked by "multiple and varied political, social and economic situations," the pope said, efforts to promote unity and cooperation among Catholics have been impressive. "Much still remains to be done to consolidate the Christian identity of the continent," said the pope in a message to the participating bishops.

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