PRESENTATION

Number 66 of Documentation IMC presents to our readers the work done in the two Continental Meetings that took place in Boa Vista (Roraima, Brazil) in 2004. The first one was on Pastoral Activities with the Indigenous (October 4-12, 2004), the other one on Justice & Peace (October 14-22, 2004). We think that what was said and done in the two meetings contains meaningful ideas for all of us, ideas that we should all reflect upon.

The first part of this issue is dedicated to Pastoral Activities with the Indigenous: It offers to all of us the reflections made and the conclusions arrived at in the meeting. In his article, “The Socio-Political, Economic and Organizational Context”, Fr. Anthony Bonanomi presents to us the realities of the Indigenous population in Latin America. Point of departure for his writing is the vast experience he has had with the Nasa Indians of Colombia.
Fr. Mario Pérez Pérez, who is a member of the NAUA people and a priest of the Diocese of Puebla (Mexico), was a special assessor in the meeting. He presents to us a profound synthesis of the Indian theology that has its roots in the life of his own people.

This accurate study stems from the pastoral praxis among the Indians. It leads us into discovering that same Indian theology in order to be able to incarnate it into our pastoral activities among the Indigenous peoples of Latin America. We close the first part of this number of Documentation with the presentation of “Pastoral Options, Lines of Action and Final Proposals of the Meeting”.

In the second part, we have gathered the studies and the conclusions of the Justice & Peace Meeting. Its theme, “The Practice of Justice & Peace as an Expression of the Dimension of Consolation of Our Charism”. J&P constantly show us how they are synonyms of mission in the context of the multiple problems existing in the contexts where we work.

Fr. Francisco Lerma Martínez, IMC, gives us his own study of “Consolation in the Bible”. J&P should be grafted unto Consolation. Fr. Ricardo Castro, IMC, writes on one of the most burning themes in the Latin American context at present: “New Proposals in Front of Challenges of Consecrated Life Today”. The “Conclusions” of the Meeting close this number of Documentation.

May this reading of Documentation IMC 66 give us the desire to better know, understand and reflect on the world of the indigenous peoples and the reality of the poor and the marginalized in the society in which we live today.

Fr. Francisco Lerma Martínez, IMC