Bishops' synod discusses concerns for American laity including migration, violence and drugs

Vatican City, Dec 3, 2009 / 01:32 am

On Monday, the Vatican published a communique concerning a synod of bishops in Rome which expressed the need for American laity to be educated in the faith through the “inculturation” of the Gospel.

“The process of inculturation depends to a large extent on a balanced education in the faith,” stated the communique. “This task particularly falls to families, schools and Catholic universities and, especially urgently today, to the media which, if used correctly and competently, are a vehicle of extraordinary pastoral effectiveness.”

The 14th meeting of the Special Assembly for America of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops was held on Nov. 17 and 18, and addressed social concerns that Americans are facing such as “drug trafficking, the recycling of illicit profits, corruption, violence, the arms race, racial discrimination, foreign debt, inequality between social groups and the thoughtless destruction of nature.”

The communique called for American Christians to take a stand against these issues, saying that “the Church is ready to make an effective contribution to eradicate this evil from civil society through the education of the faithful and through a greater presence of qualified lay Christians who - by virtue of their family, school and parish education - promote the practice of such values as truth, honesty, hard work and the service of the common good.”

Also addressed was the concern over “the ease with which arms are able to circulate” and the need for Churches in America “to raise a prophetic voice denouncing rearmament and the scandalous trade in the materials of war, which absorb huge sums of money that should, in fact, be used for combating poverty and promoting development.”

Additionally, the synod discussed the issue of migration “which particularly affects many people and families from Latin American States who have moved to the northern regions of the continent,” stated the communique, and that “on the basis of the Gospel, it is necessary to promote a culture of solidarity that stimulates appropriate initiatives in support of the poor and marginalized, especially refugees.”