EUROPE/SPAIN - Symposium on “The mission of the Church” and the re-birth of the missionary spirit, sponsored by the Missiology Department of the Theological Institute of San Damaso in Madrid

Madrid (Agenzia Fides) - The Missiology Department of the Theological Institute of San Damaso in Madrid has organized a symposium on “The mission of the Church” and the re-birth of the missionary spirit, to take place May 27 and 28 of this year. The opening session will be led by Archbishop Francisco Perez Gonzalez of Pamplona-Tudela, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies. The symposium will be presented by Manuel del Campo Guilarte, of the San Damaso Theological Institute.
Among the talks that are planned are: “The re-birth of the missionary spirit. The wealth and newness of the Gospel message,” by Msgr. Juan Esquerda Bifet of the Pontifical Urban University in Rome; “The missionary mandate, freedom and the truth,” y Pablo Domínguez Prieto, Dean of San Damaso Institute, and “The mission ad gentes in the communion of churches,” by the Dean of the Theology Department at the University of Navarra, Jose Ramon Villar. Lastly, the Bishop Fabio Duque Jaramillo of Armenia (Quindio, Colombia).
There is also a round-table discussion scheduled for the following topics: “Interreligious dialogue by Santiago García Acuña, of the San Damaso Theological Institute; “The ecumenical commitment: towards a full communication in truth and charity,” by José Rico Pavés, Director of the "San Ildefonso" Institute de Toledo; and “First steps towards evangelization” by Manuel Campo Guilarte, of the San Damaso Theological Institute. The last talk of the symposium will be given by Msgr. Juan Esquerda Bidet. The closing ceremony for the Symposium will take place Wednesday, May 28 at 6pm and will be presided by Cardinal Antonio Mª Rouco Varela, Archbishop of Madrid and Grand Chancellor of San Damaso Theological Institute. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 26/5/2008; righe 24, parole 272)