 | XII EPA CONTINENTAL ECUADOR 2012 |
XII MEETING OF AFRO-AMERICAN PASTORAL (EPA) - FINAL MESSAGE
Guayaquil, Ecuador – July 16 to 20 of 2012
We, the 250 men and women participants in the EPA that took place in Guayaquil, Ecuador, lays, priests, religious, seminarians, deacons, bishops and young delegates from 12 countries in the Americas and the Caribbean, called by the SEPAC and the Afro-Ecuadorian Pastoral, after reflecting about the reality of Afro people in the continent, enlightened by the Word of God, accompanied by the presence of the Virgin Mary from Aparecida and nourished by the Eucharist, we express the following:
We will continue defending the authentic cultural and spiritual values of the Afro-American and Caribbean people, specially the oppressed, the defenseless and marginalized, in front of the overwhelming forces of the structures of sin manifested in modern society (Aparecida document 532).
We will continue supporting the dialog between Black culture and Christian faith and their struggles for social justice, we will encourage active participation of Afro-Americans and Caribbean in the pastoral actions of our churches and in the CELAM (Aparecida 533).
We Denounce the threats to our Afro people throughout the continent, in their physical, cultural and spiritual existence, in their ways of life, identities, diversity, territories and life projects, due to economic and cultural globalization that threatens our very existence as distinct people (Aparecida 90). We pledge to work in the globalization of solidarity and claim to the national governments, the Organization of American States and the United Nations to support our efforts.
We assume the Permanent Mission proposed by the CELAM with faith, hope and joy, allowing us to live the new social and cultural Pentecost in the Church, with the strength of the youth participant in development projects, the resilience of women, the tenderness of children, the warmth of men and the richness of our elders.
This pastoral continental meeting holds many challenges and great hopes, motivated by the Afro prophet, Zephaniah, who believes that, when the people are organized and let their selves to be guided by God, it can be celebrated the feast of life:
Our God is with you, for you will dance and will release shouts of joy
as you do, in the day of festival
Zephaniah 3, 15-17
Guayaquil, Ecuador, July 20, 2012
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