November-December 1999 a  l e t t e r   f r o m  t h e  e d i t o r

Indigenous cultures: A new Springtime for the Church by Bishop Samuel Ruiz Garcia CTA Regional Contacts Upcoming Dates and Events around the Country Join CTA! CTA Home Page

Four days after turning 75 and giving the Pope his mandatory offer to resign as Bishop of Chiapas, Mexico, Dom Samuel Ruiz Garcia stirred the hearts of 3,500 faithful at the 1999 CTA conference with the central story of his 40 years as pastor: how he discovered the presence of God in the indigenous cultures of his Mayan Indian people. Chatting warmly with his audience without text or notes, the grandfatherly pastor - nicknamed tata or "Papa" by his people - poked fun at himself for his reputation as an expert on evangelization and acculturation, insisting that Providence simply used the events of his life to teach him that God is already present and active in the native culture and religion. "Christopher Columbus did not bring God on board his ships," said Ruiz. Despite the Vatican's negativity toward interfaith dialogue and the autonomy of local churches, this aging veteran of Vatican II signals a bright springtime in the next century for an open and dialogical Church in the spirit of the Council. Bill Thompson P.S. Full report of the 1999 conference - pictures, articles, interviews and tape order form - coming in December CTA News.