Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lisbon (Agenzia Fides) - The national office of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Portugal has distributed a Handbook for October Mission Month 2007 prepared with the help of various missionary institutes in view of the celebration of the Missionary Month and Mission Sunday Fr. Manuel Durães Barbosa, CSSp, National PMS director in Portugal told Fides. Some 45,000 copies have been sent to parishes all over the country The handbooks, which serves as a guide for reflection and liturgical celebrations, contains a reflection for each of the four weeks of October, comments in the Sunday readings, a schema for a Mission Sunday Vigil and the Missionary Rosary, and mission intentions for every day. The Handbook also intends to launch the National Mission Congress to be held in Fatima 3 to 7 September next year 2008.
"Many people helped us to produce a Handbook of quality " says Fr. Barbosa, and it is a e "demonstration of the richness of the diversity of gifts, charisma and vocations which the Church generates in the world ".
The PMS also distribute a Mission Sunday poster, pastoral-theological reflections, catechesis, copies of the Pope's Mission Sunday Message 2007. Every diocese will celebrate a Mission Sunday Vigil on the 20 October. Mission Sunday Mass on 21 October will be broadcast on national television. During this month the missionary Rosary recited daily in Fatima, with special missionary intentions, is broadcast by Radio Renascença, with the participation of some members of Missionary Institutes and the national PMS director. This year the PMS have given more attention to increasing mission awareness among children through Holy Childhood activity with a small programme. " We want to help all the faithful to live the month of mission intensely and to make the whole year, a time for mission without frontiers " the national director concluded. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 18/10/2007; righe 24, parole 318)
