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There has been a real avalanche of messages
of solidarity recently. Some were angry, others worried, and finally,
many exuberant. Today, more than ever, I would like to respond personally,
message by message, heart to heart. During this time of expectant vigil,
many questions and complaints have arisen, about this neoliberal World
and about our holy and problematic Church. I bring these questions and
anxieties to the Spirit of the One who is “our Peace”. I ask
that all of you, whether believers or agnostic, serene or rebelious, men
or women, please consider yourselves answered, with great care. Thus we
retired bishops lighten our burdens so easily...!
We have received messages of solidarity from many concerning the Xavante
people, due to the fact that any resolution of their cause continues deterred
by the slowness of our justice system. Another motive of solidarity with
our small Church of São Félix do Araguaia has been, obviously,
the Episcopal succession. I do not need to go into details, because so
much has already been written about the ecclesial incident. We want to
insist that the problem was not simply one bishop, one local Church. It
is a problem of the whole Church and centers on the call to greater co-responsibility
and collegiality in the process of nominating bishops, so that we might
be more faithful to Gospel and give witness in the World. Fortunately,
the new Bishop of Sao Felix do Araguaia, Friar Leonardo Ulrich Steiner,
is a true Franciscan, fraternal, open to dialogue, interested in the people.
And the journey continues. I will continue here, on the banks of the Araguaia
River, acompanying at a distance the struggles of the people, and savoring,
in Pascal hope, the afternoon of life.
The Empire claims it wants “a world without tyranny”. We also;
above all without the tyranny of the Empire. And the Empire wants “the
propagation of freedom”. We contest indignantly, because this kind
of freedom is restricted to the market, and to the economic advantage
of a few powerful countries.
There is too much tyranny in all levels of life: social, economic, political
and cultural. According to the anual report of the UN, there are still
1.1 billion people who survive on less than US $1.00 a day. Daily 30,000
children continue to die of hunger. In the last 40 years, the gross industrial
product of the world has doubled while economic inequality has trippled.
900 million people – one seventh of the world population –
suffer ethnic, social or religious discrimination. 44 % of the Latin American
population lives in bairros amidst extreme poverty. Africa contines to
bleed; its nations either ignored or exploited. There are countries in
the world “marked to die”, perhaps by a possible preventative
war...
There is howerver, “much good conquering evil” in our wounded
World. Once again we held the World Social Forum; the Via Campesina continues
to grow and operate; we uncovered the hidden agenda and to a degree delayed
the creation of FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas). The Israeli and
the Palestinians dialogue over concrete steps; the left raises its head
in various countries of our America and in Europe; “unrest”
(and protest) “grows before the neoliberal democracy”. Political
parties and unions are being demoralized, while the popular movement grows,
promoting demonstrations on national, continental and worldwide scales.
The Kyoto Protocol is picking up speed. There are more and more of us
each time we cry out, with Inácio Ramonet, “yes to solidarity
among the 6 billion inhabitants of our planet; no to the G-8 and the “Consensus
of Washington”; no to the dominion of the “poker of evil,”
(World Bank, IMF, WTO, OECD); no to the military domination of a lone
superpower; no to the wars of invasion and no to terrorism...” And
we summarize with Ramonet, that “to resist is to say no and also
to say yes, to dream that another world is possible and to contribute
to building it.”
Another Church is possible also and we, people from many places, are building
it in diverse ways. By being community of prayer, communion and commitment.
By Brazil’s hosting of the 11th Inter-ecclesial Encounter of the
Base Christian Communities and reanimating the Base Christian Communities
of Brazil, of the Continent, of the World. By holding the World Social
Forum and the World Forum of the Liberation Theology at the same time
and place. By celebrating as well the anniversary of the martyrdom of
our St. Romero and the memory of all our martyrs who call us to renewed
commitment. By deepening our option for the poor and their causes. By
propheticaly condemning “social genocides” and the iniquity
of the Empire and its oligarquies. By living real and daily ecumenism
and engaging in inter-religious dialogue. By encouraging the conciliar
process, as a growing Gospel call, and as the best manner of commemorating
the 40 years of Vatican II. By living our faith in an adult and co-responsible
manner, “for the life of the World.”
And one more ecclesial confidence, from an old bishop who continues to
dream. Once again, because of the recent health problems of John Paul
II, there is talk and much writing about the profile of the new pope.
I think that there should be more, much more, talk about and designing
of a new papacy, including a radical re-structuring of what we call the
Apostolic See. And a new model for the ministry of Peter: shaped with
the heart of Jesus, sensitive to the cries of the poor, the suffering,
the helpless; divested of a pontifical state, with a streamlined and service
oriented Curia. Stripped of power and pomposity; empassioned by ecumenism
and inter-religious dialogue, “de-absolutized” and collegial,
decentralized and truly “catholic”, through cultural and ministerial
pluralism. A religious mediation - in collaboration with other mediations,
religious or not – at the service of peace, of justice and life.
During his life, Van Gogh, who had seen many real and symbolic windmills
fall, wrote to his brother, Theo, “but the wind continues”.
We too, after having seen how many windmills fall, both in society and
in the Church, continue on, proclaiming – in Hope and Commitment
– that “the Wind continues.”
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