Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Aparecida (Agenzia Fides) - From May 1-4, the Second Missionary Congress will be held in Aparecida (Brazil), according to a statement made to Agenzia Fides by Fr. Daniel Lagni, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies of Brazil. The theme for the Congress is “The Church in Brazil: Listen, Follow, Preach,” and the central theme for the talks is: “A Brazil of Baptised Faithful to a Brazil of Missionary Disciples Without Limits” The Congress is meant as a preparation for the Third Missionary Congress CAM 3, set to take place in Quito (Ecuador) August 12-17. It is an opportunity to reflect on the missionary path of the country, celebrate the graces received, and recognise the creativity and sacrifices of so many witnesses to the faith, and, drawing light from the Aparecida Document, continue journeying with enthusiasm, dedication, and hope.
The general purpose of the Congress is to assume our “missionary nature,” guided by the Holy Spirit to serve the Kingdom of God, in light of the Aparecida Document and looking towards the coming CAM 3. Among the specific objectives are: reflect on the Church’s missionary project in Brazil in all its facets; find meaningful missionary activities to serve the poor; strengthen the missionary communities and Missionary Councils; assume new responsibilities and find new means, based in our “missionary nature”; promote missionary vocations.
Attendance is expected to be about 460, from 17 regions of the CNBB. From each region, the Bishop in charge of the missionary dimension will participate. There will also be representatives from the Missions Committee, representatives of the Missionary Childhood and Youth organisations, a proportional number of priests and religious from each region, three seminarians from the Major Seminary working who are collaborating with the Missions Committee, committed lay faithful, and missionary team members from their communities.
Some of the themes that will be reflected upon are: “The Consecrated as prophetic presence of the missionary Church in Latin America from Vatican II to Aparecida.”; “Formation of the community as disciple and missionary without limits”; “The mission for humanity as responsibility of ordained ministers in the local Churches”; “Gospel perspectives for the mission of the laity and families facing the new challenges of a globalised world”; Missionary Childhood and Youth: seeds for a new humanity”; “Disciples and missionaries of the Amazon for the world”; Communication and mission: the media at the service of evangelisation”; “The mission and challenge of ecumenical, inter-religious, and inter-cultural dialogue for a world peace ethic”; “Migration as a path to evangelisation.”
The First Missionary Congress took place in Belo Horizonte in June of 2003, in preparation for CAM 2, which was celebrated in Guatemala in November 2003. (RG)(Agenzia Fides 20/2/2008 righe 37, parole 441)
