Continuing a tradition that goes back to 1959, the bishops of the Episcopal Conferences of the North and South America met in Tampa (USA), for collegial reflection dedicated to prayer, fraternity, listening, and dialogue.
Taking part in the February 26-28 gathering were Bishops from the leadership of the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM), the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
At the conclusion of their meeting, the Bishops sent a letter to Pope Francis to share their experience. “Our conversations bore much fruit and we have begun to explore the possibilities of various joint initiatives, especially in the areas of the environment and migration.”
Speaking with Vatican News, CELAM Secretary General of CELAM, Bishop Lizardo Estrada, said the Church in the American continent lives an “affective and effective collegiality.”
Emphasizing the common response of the Church to various challenges, he explained, “We want to walk together, synodality leads us to that; and to listen to one other and to face common problems and respond to these challenges that we all have, all America.”
‘One American continent’
In a joint statement issued after their meeting, the Bishops of the Americas stated, “We talked about our mutual concerns and approaches to pastoral ministry and moral issues including euthanasia, migration, ecological threats to our common home, and the Synod.”
The Bishops said their time together has helped them to see “the wisdom” of Pope Saint John Paul II’s affirmation that there is “one American continent,” noting, “We share much in common and have similar pastoral and social concerns.”
They added that their time together “has strengthened our bonds of fraternity in Christ and has allowed us to discern ways we can promote a more synodal and missionary Church and work together even more effectively in the vineyard of the Lord.”