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September 3, 2022
Rome.
His Excellency Bishop Paolo Martinelli, Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, and His Excellency Bishop Paul Hinder, Apostolic Vicar Emeritus participated in the 72nd plenary assembly of the Conference of Latin Bishops of the Arab region, held in Rome from 29 to 31 August 2022.
Various current topics pertaining to the region were discussed in the meeting.
Below is a short report.
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The 72nd plenary assembly of the Conference of Latin Bishops of the Arab region was held in Rome from 29 to 31 August at the "Institute of Maria Santissima Bambina" near the Vatican.
All the Bishops and Vicars in the region actively participated in the assembly. They presented reports regarding the life of the Church in their respective ecclesial realities. This served as a platform for a profound and enriching exchange of views and different ecclesial experiences; sharing the joys and hopes of their Churches, their efforts, and future perspectives.
Among several topics addressed was the document of the Assembly of Ordinaries of the Holy Land: Pastoral Ecumenical Guidelines.
The synodal journey undertaken by different churches within the conference was another topic of the meeting. The bishops shared the documents prepared by different local Churches. The desire of the faithful to be listened to and to walk together as the people of God was a common thought expressed by all. Considering this aspect, the continental phase of the synod which is scheduled to be in February 2023 was also spoken of during this session.
In addition, there was talk of the next international congress on the theme of "Pastors and lay faithful called to walk together", promoted by the dicastery for the laity, family, and life (16 - 18 February 2023). In this context, there was also talk of the next World Youth Day in Lisbon and the Jubilee of 2025.
The last day of the meeting saw a dedicated update of the theme: "Good practices to protect and promote the dignity of the person in structures". Taking this theme into consideration, some updates were suggested for the "Safeguarding Policy" for a safe environment for children and vulnerable persons.
The meeting concluded with a discussion on some specific topics including the new edition of the missal in Arabic.
The next CELRA plenary meeting is scheduled for February 2023 in Lebanon.