BISHOP CREPALDI: SOCIAL DOCTRINE IN CHALLENGE OF LATIN AMERICA

VATICAN CITY, JUL 22, 2002 (VIS) - Bishop Giampaolo Crepaldi, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, sent a message to participants in the workshop on "Democracy and Civil Society" sponsored by the Episcopal Latin American Council (CELAM) which is taking place in Caracas, Venezuela from July 22 to 24.

"In a democratic state," writes Msgr. Crepaldi, "the participation of citizens in community life is one of the fundamental pillars and one of the greatest guarantees ... For its part, the Church, with its specific mission and competency - which distinguishes and separates it from any political system - looks for the political community in healthy cooperation, to be at the service of man and his transcendental character." Furthermore, the bishop underlines that "Christianity is obligated, as a member of political society, to cooperate with its objectives and development."

Referring later to one of the themes of the seminar, "Adaptation of the social doctrine of the Church to the present context", the bishop recalls that the "teachings of the Church, most recently of John Paul II, on human rights and freedom of association, are a beautiful treasure which we must explore more ... The social doctrine of the Church, by being a coherent doctrinal body, based on the Gospel and managed throughout the years by successive declarations by the Magisterium in response to specific social questions, is a precious and ideal instrument to indicate the correct path when responding also to bigger challenges that the current political situation in Latin America and the Caribbean present."

The secretary of Justice and Peace concludes by expressing the desire that the workshop result in "courses of action" that help "men and women of good will ... to collaborate actively in giving life to processes of authentic democracy that lead to the consolidation of more sensitive, fair and efficient governments, and to more participative civil societies that avoid the grave danger of democratic regression that threatens many in your countries at this time."

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