Bishop Bryan Bayda is participating in the International Congress “Ecclesia in America” in the Vatican

Tuesday, 11 December 2012, 22:04

An International Congress “Ecclesia in America” is taking place on December 9-12, 2012 in the Vatican. Organized by the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, affiliated with the Congregation for Bishops, and the international Catholic lay foundation, Knights of Columbus, the congress is being attended by more than 200 participants from countries of Latin America, USA and Canada, among whom is Bishop Bryan (Bayda), Saskatoon Eparch. In addition to Roman Curia members, participants are also superiors of monastic orders and communities as well as rectors of Papal Collegiums in Rome.

The international congress “Ecclesia in America” is being held on the occasion of the fifteenth anniversary of the special Synod of Bishops of the Catholic Church focusing on the American continent which took place in November-December 1997 and concluded with the Apostolic Epistle of Pope John Paul II “Ecclesia in America” signed in 1999 in Guadalupe (Mexico).

Year of Faith, new evangelization, 50^th anniversary of the Vatican Council and the 20^th anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church – these are the main topics of the congress that is also assessing closer cooperation between the Catholic Church in Canada, USA and Latin America in answering the challenges which face the faithful of North and South America as well as the intensification of the evangelization mission.

The Symposium opened on Sunday, December 9^th with an afternoon Divine Liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. The liturgy was headed by Cardinal Marc Oullet, the prefect of the Congregation for Bishops; at the end of the Liturgy, Holy Father Benedict XVI addressed the participants.

Radio Vatican