To the Latin American Episcopal Council (2 July 1980)

On Wednesday, 2 July 1980, the Holy Father addressed the Latin American Episcopal Council in Rio de Janeiro, where he spoke to the Bishops on unity in spirit, unity in faith.

Venerable and beloved brothers in the episcopate.

In the context of my pastoral visit to Brazil, I come with true joy to this meeting with you, the Bishops of Latin America, who are gathered in this beautiful and welcoming city of Rio de Janeiro, where CELAM was born.

Birth of CELAM: its stages

1. Twenty-five years have passed since that conference in 1955, during which the idea of ​​asking the Holy See to create a Latin American episcopal council, which would gather and channel the new needs that were felt at such a broad level, matured.

With great vision of the future and with joyful hope in the face of the abundant ecclesial fruits that were to be announced, my predecessor Pius XII anticipated a favorable response: “We nourish the undoubted hope that the benefits now received will one day be returned immensely, multiplied. The day will come when Latin America will be able to give back to the whole Church of Christ what it has received” (Pius XII, Ad Ecclesiam Christi : AAS 47 [1955] 539-544).

Today, I, the Successor of Peter, and you, the representatives of the Church in Latin America, which is approaching half of the whole Church of Christ, gather to commemorate a significant date and evaluate the results with an eye to the future.

In front of the copious fruits harvested in these years, despite the inevitable deficiencies and gaps; before this Latin American Church, a true Church of hope, my heart opens up to gratitude to the Lord with the words of Saint Paul: "We always thank God for all of you, remembering you in our prayers, continually mindful before God and Father ours of your steadfast faith, your labor of love, and your steadfast hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess 1:2-4).

It is the gratitude that also flows from your pastor hearts, because the Holy Spirit, soul of the Church, inspired at the right moment that new form of episcopal collaboration which the birth of CELAM has consolidated.

2. First organization of its kind in the whole Church due to its continental dimension, pioneer as an expression of collegiality when the episcopal conferences had not yet consolidated, an instrument of contact, reflection, collaboration and service of the conferences of Bishops of the Latin American continent , CELAM has delivered a rich and vast pastoral action in its annals. For all this, my predecessors pontiffs rightly judged it a providential body.

3. The life of CELAM is framed, as we know, by three great moments, corresponding to the general conferences celebrated by the Latin American episcopate.

The first general conference constitutes a historical reality of particular importance, because during its development the idea of ​​founding CELAM arose. This first stage is linked in a special way to the people of Cardinal Jaime de Barros Camara, distinguished Archbishop of this archdiocese of San Sebastian of Rio de Janeiro, first president of CELAM, and of Monsignor Manuel Larrain, Bishop of Talca, also president of the council. May the Lord reward them who are in the Father's house, and reward those who made the creation of the Latin American episcopal council possible or served it with commendable and generous commitment.

The second general conference, convened by Pope Paul VI and celebrated in Medellin, reflects a moment of expansion and growth of CELAM. The theme was: "The Church in today's transformation of Latin America in the light of the Second Vatican Council". The council, in close collaboration with the episcopates, contributed to the application of the renewing force of the Council.

The third general conference, which I had the good fortune to inaugurate in Puebla, is the fruit of CELAM's intense collaboration with the various episcopal conferences. I'll talk about it later.

4. In successive stages there has been a progressive adaptation of the structures of the council and new forms of participation have been established or strengthened by the Bishops, for whom CELAM is and works. The episcopal conferences as such have been present from the outset through their delegates; and, starting from 1971, also with their presidents, members by right. The forms of coordination have gained a lot thanks to the regional meetings and with the new services distributed in the various pastoral areas. Numerous pastors have taken part in its management convinced that their great mission, in concern for all the Churches, goes beyond the boundaries of their particular Churches (cf. Christus Dominus , 6).

I am pleased to note that frequent and cordial collaboration has been maintained with the Apostolic See and with the various dicasteries, especially with the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, which, from the heart of the Church - according to the happy image used by Paul VI (“Sollecitudo omnium ecclesiarum”) - follows the activities of the council with diligent interest, encouraging and supporting its initiatives in view of greater efficiency in all sectors of the apostolate.

A spirit at the service of unity

If all this has been possible during these 25 years, it is because CELAM has been animated by a fundamental orientation of service, which has well-defined characteristics:

1. The Celam, a spirit.

CELAM, in its collegial spirit, takes nourishment from communion with God and with the members of the Church. For this he wanted to remain faithful and available to the word of God, to the needs of communion in the Church, and he tried to serve the different ecclesial communities with respect for their specific situation and the particular physiognomy of each of them. She is committed to discerning the signs of the times, to give adequate responses to the changing challenges of the moment. This spirit is CELAM's greatest wealth and patrimony and is at the same time the guarantee of its future.

2. CELAM, service to unity.

The Church is a mystery of unity in the Spirit. It is the yearning that emerges from Jesus' prayer: “May they all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I in you, may they also be one in us, so that the world may believe that you sent me” (Jn 17:21). Therefore, even St. Paul exhorts us to "preserve" the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. One body, one spirit, just as the hope to which you have been called is one, that of your vocation; one Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God the Father of all..." (Eph 4:3-6).

Well, this unity does not consist in something received passively or statically, but must be built dynamically, to consolidate it in this rich and mysterious ecclesial reality, which is the indispensable premise of its pastoral fruitfulness. This is the attitude that characterizes the primitive ecclesial community: "Every day they all went to the temple together and broke bread at home, taking their meals with gladness and simplicity of heart" (Acts 2:46-47). "The multitude of those who had come to faith were of one heart and one soul" (Acts 4:32). And so "the Lord added to the community every day those who were being saved" (Acts 2:48).

Therefore, the more serious the problems, the deeper must be the unity with the visible head of the Church and with the pastors among themselves. Its unity is a precious sign for the community. Only in this way will the fruits of evangelization be effectively achieved. This is why with true joy I observed, in approving the conclusions of Puebla: "The Church of Latin America has been reinvigorated in its unity, in its own identity" (John Paul II, Epistula , die 23 martii 1979 : Teachings of John Paul II , II [1979] 700).

3. Unity "in the Spirit", a unity of faith.

In fact, it finds its origin in the mystery of the Church, built on the will of the Father, through the saving work of the Son, in the Spirit. It is a union which then descends to the members of the ecclesial community, associated with each other in a sublime way by the bonds of faith, supported by hope and enlivened by charity. We are entrusted with the grave responsibility of effectively safeguarding this unity in the true faith.

The first service of Peter's successor is that of proclaiming the faith of the Church: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Mt 16:16). The Pope, as Peter's successor, must confirm his brothers in it (cf. Lk 22:31). For your part, you too, pastors of the Church, must confirm your communities in the faith.

This must be your constant concern, well aware that it is a question of a fundamental requirement of your mission, allowing yourselves to be guided by the criteria of the Gospel and without other motivations extraneous to it. Thus you will be able to orient the faithful clearly and avoid dangerous confusion.

May your unity continue to be nourished by the charity which emanates from the Eucharist, the root and cornerstone of the Christian community (cf. Presbyterorum Ordinis , 6), a sign and cause of unity. It is then evident that this union which must exist between you, the Bishops of the Church, must also be reflected in the various ecclesial sectors: priests, religious, laity.

4. The unity of priests with bishops springs from the same sacramental fraternity. You rightly stated in the Puebla conference: "The hierarchical ministry, sacramental sign of Christ the shepherd and head of the Church, is primarily responsible for building up the Church in communion and for the dynamism of her evangelising action" (Puebla, 659 ) . And you added: “The Bishop is the sign and builder of unity. He evangelically exercises his authority at the service of unity ..., he instills trust in his collaborators, especially in the priests for whom he must be father, brother and friend ( Puebla , 688).

With this spirit we must continue to stimulate and strengthen unity in pastoral work, in the various centers of communion and participation in the parish, in the educational community, in the smaller communities.

5. Union with the hierarchy of those who have embraced the consecrated life is of great importance. Many positive aspects reported in Puebla, such as "the desire to internalize and deepen the way of living the faith" ( Puebla , 726) and the insistence that "prayer manages to become an attitude of life" ( Puebla , 727); the effort of solidarity, of sharing with the poor, must be seen in the perspective of full communion.

In this way the consecrated life is "a privileged means for effective evangelization" (Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi , 69). Therefore, in my inaugural speech of the III General Conference, I pointed out that the Bishops "must not lack the collaboration, at the same time responsible and active, but also docile and trusting of the religious" (John Paul II, Allocutio ad III Coetum Generalem Episcoporum Americae Latinae , II ,2, die ian. 1979: Teachings of John Paul II , II [1979] 201).

The doctrinal orientation and coordination of pastoral action belongs to the Bishops. Therefore all those who carry out the apostolate must support, generously and responsibly, the guidelines indicated by the hierarchy. both in the doctrinal field and in ecclesial activities. This applies to the competence of the bishops in their particular Church and, according to the principles of a sound ecclesiology, to episcopal conferences or, in due measure, to the service provided by CELAM. On the other hand it is evident that careful care for the spiritual good of men and women religious must shine in diocesan or supra-diocesan pastoral care.

6. Ecclesial communion with pastors cannot even be lacking in such an important field as the world of the laity. The Church needs the formidable contribution of the layperson, whose range of action is very broad.

The Puebla conference insisted on the fact that the layman "has the responsibility of ordering temporal realities to place them at the service of the establishment of the kingdom of God" ( Puebla , 789) and that "the laity cannot exempt themselves from a serious commitment to the promotion of justice and the common good" ( Puebla , 793). With special emphasis on political activity (cf. Puebla , 791), the lay person must promote the defense of man's dignity and his inalienable rights (cf. Puebla , 792).

In this mission proper to the laity, they must be given the place that belongs to them, above all in the militancy and leadership of political parties, or in the exercise of public office (cf. Puebla , 791). It is a solid criterion, inspired by the conference of Medellin (cf. Sacerdotes , 19) and by the Synod of Bishops of 1971, the one you indicated: "Pastors..., having to deal with unity, will strip themselves of all political-partisan ideology... In this way they will have the freedom to evangelize politics following the example of Christ, starting from a Gospel free from partisanship and ideologization" ( Puebla , 526). These are directives with dense pastoral consequences.

7. The search for ecclesial unity leads us to the heart of ecumenism: “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; these too I must lead; they will hear my voice and become one flock and one shepherd" (Jn 10:16). It is necessary to place ecumenical dialogue, which in Latin America has special characteristics, in this perspective. Prayer, trust, fidelity must be the climate of authentic ecumenism. Dialogue between brothers of different confessions does not erase our own identity, but assumes it. I am well aware that you are striving to create an atmosphere of greater rapprochement and respect, which is hindered by some who resort to methods of proselytism which are not always correct.

8. The unity of the Church, at the service of the unity of peoples.

The Church is inscribed in the reality of peoples: in their culture, in their history, in the rhythm of their development. She lives, deeply in solidarity, the pains of her children, sharing their difficulties and assuming their legitimate aspirations. In such situations she proclaims the message of salvation that she knows no borders or discrimination.

The Church is aware of being the bearer of the effective word of God, a word which created the universe and which is capable of recreating in the heart of man and in society, at its various levels, attitudes and conditions in which the civilization of the 'Love. With this aim, the Puebla document was officially presented to the UN and to the Organization of American States.

By virtue of the proclamation of the Gospel, when man is crushed in his eminent dignity, when his prostration is maintained or prolonged, the Church denounces. It is part of her prophetic service. She denounces everything that opposes God's plan and prevents the fulfillment of man. You denounce in defense of the man wounded in his rights, so that his wounds are healed and attitudes of true conversion are aroused.

By serving the cause of justice, the Church does not intend to provoke or deepen divisions, exacerbate conflicts or potentiate them. Rather, with the strength of the Gospel the Church helps to see and respect every man as a brother, invites individuals, groups and peoples to dialogue, so that justice is safeguarded and unity is preserved. In certain circumstances she even acts as a mediator. This too is a prophetic service.

Therefore, when in the exercise of her mission she feels the duty to denounce, the Church conforms to the demands of the Gospel and of the human being, without serving the interests of economic or political systems or ideologies of conflict. Above all groups or social classes, it denounces incitement to any form of violence, terrorism, repression, class struggles, wars, with all their horrors.

In the face of the painful scourge of war and the arms race, which produce growing underdevelopment, may the Church in Latin America and in each of the peoples born to the Gospel raise the cry of the revered Pope Paul VI: "No more war!". I myself echoed this cry before the assembly of the United Nations. May new conflicts not be added to the painful situations, which aggravate the condition of prostration, especially of the poorest.

The Church, as history demonstrates with eloquent examples, has been in Latin America the most vigorous factor of unity and encounter between peoples. Continue therefore, dear pastors, to give your full contribution to the cause of justice, of a well-understood Latin American integration, as a service to unity full of hope. And in this task of making your critical voice heard at times, above all in a collegial service of the common good, rigorous objectivity and the right moment always continue to direct your actions, so that in the respect due to legitimate requests, the voice of the Church question consciences, protect people and their freedom, demand the necessary interventions.

Celam and Puebla on the trail of Medellin

1. On this occasion in which we look at the past 25 years of CELAM, to project them towards the future, two equally important and significant conferences should be remembered: Medellin and Puebla.

We thank God for what they have given to the Church. The first "wanted to be an impulse of pastoral renewal, a new "spirit" facing the future, in full ecclesial fidelity in interpreting the signs of the times in Latin America", (John Paul II, Homilia in Basilica BMV in Guadalupe habita , die 27 Jan. 1979: Teachings of John Paul II , II [1979] 162-163). Therefore, I myself told you that he had to "take the Medellin conclusions as a starting point, with all their positive aspects, but without ignoring the fact that they have sometimes been interpreted incorrectly and that they require serene discernment, appropriate criticism and clear positions" ( John Paul II, Allocutio ad III Coetum Generalem Episcoporum Americae Latinae, die 28 ian. 1979: Teachings of John Paul II , II [1979] 189).

The second took up and assumed the legacy of the previous one, in the new ecclesial context. It is this present that occupies us as pastors. But in wanting to direct the present moment, we are well aware that the past lives on in it, providing it with roots and inspiration. In this sense allow me to refer again in a special way to some aspects concerning the Puebla conference.

I consider it all the more important as I know well that in CELAM, in its regional meetings and in quite a few episcopal conferences, the main guidelines of the III general conference have been taken into their own pastoral plans. The same thing is observed in the quinquennial reports of many dioceses.

I was delighted by the rapid diffusion and penetration of the Puebla document in and outside Latin American communities. I was hoping that would happen. In fact, the Puebla conference, as I have said on other occasions, is in a certain way a response that goes beyond the borders of this beloved continent.

I frequently referred to the Puebla document, which I knew in detail and approved with joy after clarifying some concepts, in the meetings held during your "ad limina" visits. In this way I wanted to underline its dense doctrinal and pastoral orientations.

2. I insisted, at the beginning of the conference, on your noble mission as teachers of the truth.

Will there be in the pastoral approach with our communities, a form of presence that the people love more than that of teachers? Could authentic pastoral action, or genuine ecclesial renewal, be founded on foundations other than those of the truth about Jesus Christ, the Church and man, as we profess them? Consistency in the face of these truths places the pastoral seal on the directives and options that the conference has formulated. You have paid great attention to these truths, as can be seen in the various chapters of the document.

3. In fact, you have faced serious problems of Christology and ecclesiology, which were solicited by the episcopates themselves and which cause concern among you too.

Fidelity to the faith of the Church regarding the person and mission of Jesus Christ is of capital importance, with enormous pastoral repercussions. Continue therefore to demand a commitment to coherence in the announcement of the "Redemptor Hominis". May this fidelity shine forth in preaching, in its various forms, in catechesis, in the whole life of the People of God.

4. The Church is for the believer an object of faith and love. One of the signs of real commitment to the Church is sincerely respecting her magisterium, the foundation of communion. We cannot accept the contrast that sometimes arises between an "official", "institutional" Church and the Church as communion. They are not, cannot be separate realities. The true believer knows that the Church is the People of God by virtue of being summoned in Christ and that the whole life of the Church is determined by belonging to the Lord. It is a chosen "people", chosen by God.

5. Particular attention deserves the work of theologians. This ministry is a noble service, which the vast majority perform with fidelity. His work implies a firm attitude of faith. Together with the freedom of investigation, the oral or written communication of one's investigations and reflections must be done with every sense of responsibility, in accordance with the rights and duties pertaining to the magisterium, placed by God to guide all faithful people in the faith.

6. The Puebla conference also wanted to be a great option for man. One cannot oppose the service of God and the service of men, the right of God and the right of men. By serving the Lord, committing our lives to saying that "we believe in one God", that "Jesus is Lord" (1Cor 12:3; Rom 10:9; Jn 20:28), we make a clean break with all that that claims to establish itself as an absolute, and we destroy the idols of money, power, sex, those who hide in ideologies, "lay religions" with totalitarian ambition.

The recognition of God's lordship leads to the discovery of the reality of man. By recognizing the right of God, we will be able to recognize the right of men. "Of man in all his truth, in his full dimension..., of each man, because each one has been included in the mystery of the redemption, and with each one Christ has united himself forever..." (John Paul II, Redemptor Hominis , 13).

7. Given the reality of so vast sectors affected by poverty and in the face of the gap between rich and poor - which I pointed out at the beginning of the historic days in Puebla - you have rightly called for a preferential option for the poor, neither exclusive nor excluding (cf. Puebla , 1145. 1165). The poor are, in fact, God's favorites (cf. Puebla , 1143). The face of the poor reflects Christ, the servant of Jahvé. “Their evangelization is par excellence a sign and proof of the mission of Jesus” (cf. Puebla , 1142). You have rightly indicated that "the best service to a brother is "evangelization which disposes him to realize himself as a child of God, frees him from injustices and promotes him integrally" ( Puebla, 1145). It is, therefore, an option that expresses the Church's love of predilection, within her universal evangelizing mission and without any sector being excluded from her attentions.

Among the elements of a pastoral ministry that bears the stamp of predilection for the poor, the following emerge: interest in solid and accessible preaching; for a catechesis that embraces the entire Christian message; for a liturgy that respects the sense of the sacred and avoids the risk of political exploitation; for a family pastoral care that defends the poor from unjust campaigns that offend their dignity, for education, ensuring that they reach the least favored sectors; for popular religiosity, in which the very soul of peoples is expressed.

One aspect of evangelizing the poor is to reinvigorate an active social concern. The Church has always had this sensitivity and today this awareness is reinvigorating: "Our social conduct is an integral part of our following of Christ" ( Puebla , 476). In this regard, in accordance with the directives I gave you at the beginning of the Puebla conference, you have underlined, dear brothers, the validity and necessity of the Church's social doctrine, whose "primary object... is the personal dignity of man, image of God, and the protection of all his inalienable rights" ( Puebla , 475).

A concrete aspect of evangelization which must address above all those who enjoy economic means - so that they collaborate with those most in need - is the correct conception of private property, on which "a social mortgage weighs" (John Paul II, Allocutio ad III Coetum Generalem Episcoporum Americae Latinae , III,4, die 28 Jan. 1979: Teachings of John Paul II , II [1979] 204). Both internationally and within each country, those who own the goods must be very attentive to the needs of their brothers. It is a problem of justice and humanity. Also of vision of the future, if the peace of nations is to be preserved.

For this reason, I express my satisfaction with the message sent by Puebla to the peoples of Latin America and at the same time I trust that CELAM's "human rights operational service" will echo the voice of the Church whenever situations of injustice or violations of legitimate human rights.

8. An important theme at the Puebla conference was that of liberation. I had urged you to consider the specific and original presence of the Church in liberation (John Paul II, Allocutio ad III Coetum Generalem Episcoporum Americae Latinae , III,1, die 28 ian. 1979: Insegnamenti di Giovanni Paolo II , II [1979] 202) . I pointed out to you how the Church "does not need to resort to systems and ideologies to love, defend and collaborate in the liberation of man" (John Paul II, Allocutio ad III Coetum Generalem Episcoporum Americae Latinae , III,2, die 28 ian. 1979 : Teachings of John Paul II, II [1979] 203). In the variety of expositions and currents of liberation it is essential to distinguish between what implies "a correct Christian conception of liberation" (John Paul II, Allocutio ad III Coetum Generalem Episcoporum Americae Latinae , III,6, die 28 ian. 1979: Insegnamenti di John Paul II , II [1979] 206), "in its integral, profound meaning, as Jesus proclaimed and realized it" ( Ivi ), loyally applying the criteria that the Church offers, and other forms of liberation that are distant and even conflicting with Christian commitment.

You devoted appropriate considerations to the signs in order to discern what is a true Christian liberation, with all its value, urgency and richness, and what takes the paths of ideologies. The contents and attitudes (cf. Puebla , 489), the means they use, help in this discernment. Christian liberation uses "evangelical means, with their particular efficacy, and does not resort to any form of violence or to the dialectic of class struggle..." ( Puebla, 486), or to Marxist practice or analysis, for “the risk of ideologization to which theological reflection is exposed, when it is carried out starting from a practice that resorts to Marxist analysis. Its consequences are the total politicization of Christian existence, the dissolution of the language of faith in that of the social sciences and the elimination of the transcendent dimension of Christian salvation” ( Puebla , 545).

9. One of the most original pastoral contributions of the Latin American Church, as presented at the 1974 Synod of Bishops and summarized in the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi, was that of the grassroots ecclesial communities.

May these communities continue to show their vitality and bear fruit (cf. Puebla , 97. 156), while avoiding the risks they may encounter and to which the Puebla conference alluded: "It is regrettable that, in some places, interests clearly politicians claim to manipulate them and detach them from authentic communion with their bishops” ( Puebla , 98). Faced with the fact of ideological radicalization, which in some cases is recorded (cf. Puebla , 630), and for the harmonious development of these communities, I invite you to assume the signed commitment: "As pastors we definitely want to promote, guide, accompany the basic ecclesial communities, according to the spirit of Medellin and the criteria of the "Evangelii Nuntiandi" ( Puebla, 648).

10. The Puebla conference wanted to give impetus to "a more decisive option for pastoral care as a whole" ( Puebla , 650), necessary for the effectiveness of evangelization and for the promotion of the unity of the particular Churches (cf Puebla , 703). In it, therefore, the various aspects of pastoral care are articulated, with a dynamic unity of theological and pastoral criteria. CELAM can do a lot in this regard.

11. In this perspective of an adequate overall pastoral care, allow me to insist with you on the pastoral priorities which I indicated in Puebla and which you accepted with such marked interest. They retain all their vitality and urgency. I am referring to family, youth and vocational pastoral care.

Ensuring that the family, in Latin America, bound by the sacrament of marriage, is a true domestic Church, is an urgent task. The civilization of love must be built on the irreplaceable foundation of the hearth. We await a strong stimulus for this priority from the next Synod.

Youth, as I often see in my ministerial contacts and in my apostolic journeys, is willing to respond. His generous ability to commit himself to noble ideals has not been exhausted, even though they require sacrifice. It is the hope of the world, of the Church, of Latin America. We therefore know how to transmit to her, without reductions or false modesty, the great values ​​of the Gospel, of Christ's example. These are causes that the young person perceives as worthy of being lived, as ways of responding to God and to man as a brother.

The pastoral care of vocations must deserve very special attention, as I repeatedly said to the Latin American Bishops during their "ad limina" visit. Vocations to the priesthood must be the sign of the maturity of the communities; and they must also manifest themselves as a consequence of the flourishing of the ministries entrusted to the laity and of an appropriate school and family pastoral care, which prepares us to listen to the voice of God.

Therefore, every diligence should be put into solid spiritual, academic and pastoral formation in seminaries. Only under this condition will we be able to have a well-founded guarantee for the future. We need priests who are fully dedicated to ministry, enthusiastic about their total commitment to the Lord in celibacy, convinced of the greatness of the ministry they carry.

And God grant that you may one day increase the sending of missionaries to help in the disadvantaged areas, in your own countries and on other continents.

Conclusion

I now want to end these reflections by making an urgent call to hope. Certainly, the path that needs to be covered in building the kingdom of God on this continent is not a small one. There are many obstacles that stand in the way.

But there is no reason to despair. As he promised us, Christ will be with us until the end of time, with his grace, his help, his infinite power. The Church for which we struggle and suffer is his Church, in which the Holy Spirit continues to live and to spread the marvels of his love for him. In fidelity to his inspirations we continue with renewed enthusiasm in the work of evangelization of all peoples.

I extend this invitation to hope, in cordial gratitude for the many efforts consecrated to the Church to all the Bishops of Latin America, to all who work in CELAM, to the priests, to the members of the various institutes of consecrated life and of the laity, who in such different forms they manifest in a marvelous, often hidden way, the magnificent variety of love for the Lord and for man.

In this sentiment of well-deserved gratitude, I associate all those bodies of Europe and North America which collaborate so effectively, with apostolic personnel and with economic means, in the life of numerous particular Churches. May the Lord reward them abundantly for this pastoral solicitude of theirs.

May the Most Holy Virgin, Our Lady of Guadalupe, at whose feet you deposited the document of Puebla with immense trust, accompany you on your journey, maternally lighten your fatigue, support you in hope, guide you to Christ, to the Saviour, to the everlasting reward .

With the blessing and affection of Peter's successor, with dilated love for the Church, bring all peoples to Christ. So be it.

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