Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Caracas (Agenzia Fides) - From 12 to 14 November the offices of the Bishops' Conference of Venezuela hosted the 35th National Mission Meeting. Participants included mission delegates from dioceses and apostolic Vicariates all over the country. The meeting was organised by the national of the Pontifical Mission Societies, under the direction of Fr. José R. Romero L. national director of the PMS and the Bishops Missions' Commission, national coordinator José Rafael Villalobos, told Fides.
The theme of the meeting was "From Aparecida to CONAMI 3", to express two important events in the missionary activity of the Church in America and especially in Venezuela, 5th General Conference of the Council of Bishops' Conferences of Latin America and the Caribbean in Aparecida, and the 3rd National Mission Congress 9 to 13 April 2008 in Caracas (see Fides 19/1/2007; 17/10/2007). Time and attention was also given to the 3rd American Mission Congress CAM 3 next year 12 to 17 August in Quito (Ecuador), to which Venezuela will send a large delegation.
During the meeting the Delegates reflected on the missionary achievements of 2007 and discussed the missionary dimension of the Document of Aparecida, on the urgency to put all America in a state of mission. The Church in Venezuela has worked to put into practice what was said in Aparecida: "that our peoples may have abundant life in Him", in the face of a spreading culture of death being introduced into Latin America, Venezuela especially, "where we are used to having many dead people every week because of crime ".
In the framework of the Great Continental Mission, Fr José Rafael Villalobos said the Church in Venezuela is preparing for the 3rd National Mission Congress with the slogan “Venezuela it is time for you to be a disciple and a missionary". It intends to reorganise adhesion to the principles of Christian ethics and the inculturation of the Gospel in distant national realities: cities, indigenous peoples, the rural world, Afro-Venezuelans. CONAMI will also strive to intensify the spirit of mission in families, church communities, mission groups, parishes, dioceses and apostolic vicariates. The Congress intends to celebrate Catholic faith in Jesus Christ as a model for commitment for justice and peace to be followed, and to encourage Christians to give visible and credible signs in society. The Mission Delegates stressed the necessity to draft a national mission plan in view of the Plenary Council of Venezuela to strengthen mission organisation and implement the proposals made by the CELAM Conference in Aparecida. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 19/11/2007; righe 36, parole 464)
