Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bissau (Agenzia Fides) - “In my country we are giving great importance to the celebration the 50th anniversary of the Fidei Donum encyclical” National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Guinea Bissau, Mgr. Domingos Cà told Fides. “A long article on the International Congress on Fidei Donum, held in Rome last May, has been published in the country's inter-diocesan magazine "Caminhos Africanos" Mgr. Cà said. Earlier the magazine had already published an article on "Fidei Donum" missionaries on the occasion of a Congress held in Verona, in February this year. For the month of October we have planned meetings and study days with minor and major seminarians and with women receiving formation in various different houses. We have almost finished work on a handbook for missionary animation during the whole mission month of October. We have also translated into several local languages the Pope's Message for Mission Sunday this year which focuses on the 50th anniversary of the Fidei Donum encyclical”.
With regard to Fidei Donum missionaries in Guinea Bissau, the National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies says: “In our country we have a few "Fidei Donum" priests and lay missionaries from Churches of old tradition (Verona in Italy), and from young Churches (diocese of Benguela, Angola). The number is still small: two priests and a lay couple sent from the diocese of Verona to the diocese of Bafata and two more priests from the Angolan diocese of Benguela sent to help the diocese of Bissau. Some of our priests studying in Portugal offer pastoral service in parishes. Early next year for the first time we will experience the sending of four of our own Fidei Donum priests to Mauritania during the Season of Lent-Easter. We are anxious to send priests who are truly ‘Fidei Donum’ to this sister Church, because its Catholics are mainly Guineans”. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 28/9/2007; righe 21, parole 296)
