Synod sees progress, problems in the Americas
November 29, 2010
The Synod of Bishops sees reasons for both hope and concern about recent developments in the Western hemisphere.
The Synod of Bishops has released a report on the November meeting of its special assembly for the Americas, which is following up on the work of the Synod for the Americas. The bishops’ committee welcomed the “positive economic development of certain countries” in the Americas, the “growing ecological awareness,” and the efforts to “recover the unity of the entire continent,” bringing together North and South America.
On the other hand, the committee cited concern with “the alarming social situation in Haiti,” the plight of immigrants and especially illegal immigrants, the heavy traffic in drugs and arms, and “the promotion of a series of laws that run counter to ethical norms (laws on abortion, euthanasia, and marriage between persons of the same sex), and the diffusion of a spirit that does not conform with Christian values in the fields of education and of communications.”
Within the Church, the Synod committee observed, there has been a marked increased in the number of vocations to the priesthood, “though this varies greatly between different countries.” Latin America has seen a continued rise in priestly vocations, while North America has lagged.
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