The church in Latin America

National Catholic Reporter, April 27, 2007 by Gino Dalpiaz

John L. Allen Jr. in his online Web column for March 30 said, "If Catholicism has had half a millennium to shape culture [in Latin America] and this is the best it can do, one might be tempted to ask, is it really something to celebrate? Mounting defections to Pentecostalism only deepen such ambivalence."

Will the upcoming conference of Latin American bishops in May in Brazil--with Benedict XVI in attendance--come up with real answers to why millions of Latin Americans are leaving the church and becoming Protestants? The solutions must be based on the Gospel, not on some social ideology.

Years ago, when a confrere of mine complained that Pentecostals were successful in his country because of U.S. money and missionaries, I replied: "I hope more of them come down to your country. Maybe you will finally start preaching the Gospel, not some political ideology. You had 500 years to preach the Gospel and church teachings, but you missed your chance."

The liberation theology inculcated by some of the Latin American bishops and priests has certainly not helped stem the hemorrhage of Catholics to the Pentecostals. Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, preacher of the papal household, said that if Catholics in some villages in Latin America want to organize a labor union, they go to their local Catholic priest, but if they want to learn to pray, sing the Lord's praises, and study the scriptures, they go to the local Pentecostal minister.

(Fr.) GINO DALPIAX

Chicago