Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Alajuela (Agenzia Fides) – From June 4 to 5, the First Regional Encounter of Lay Missionaries will be held in the Franciscan Pastoral Center in Costa Rica, according to information sent to Agenzia Fides by Rocio Araujo, Secretary for the National Missions Council (CONAMI) in El Salvador. The encounter has been organized by Msgr. Edmundo P. Valenzuela, head of the CELAM’s Missio Ad Gentes Department.
The general objective of the Encounter is to promote the “ad gentes” missionary commitment among the laity in northern Central America and the Caribbean. Among the specific objectives is the quest to cultivate the missionary identity in the laity, rooted in their baptism, reflect on the mission ad gentes that the Church must carry out through lay missionaries working in communion with the Bishop of the diocese where they are, as well as the local clergy and religious congregations. During the Encounter, there will also be an evaluation of how the lay missionaries in the area have been working, to see what has gone well and what needs improvement. This part will also include testimonies from those living in the missions. There will be testimonies on the ad gentes mission within one’s own country, ad gentes missions in other countries in America, and the missions in other continents.
Among the themes to be addresses are: “The lay missionary in the Church: vocation of every baptized person”; “Sacramental life and mission”; Crossing to the other shore: areas of ad gentes missions”; The lay missionary in action: areas of activity for the lay missionary”; “What is the Spirituality and Ad Gentes Mission Department of CELAM?”; “What is CEFAM (the center for formation for lay missionaries for the mission ad gentes)?”
Rocio Arujo also informed Agenzia Fides on what the laity have been doing in El Salvador in recent years to build a national team that is committed to “making the missionary societies known in our country, in order to prepare ourselves for the mission so we can offer many fruits for the universal mission of the Church.”
The team met for the first time in 2005, after having participated in the III Continental Encounter of Lay Missionaries (January 2005), in which they were invited to form part of a communications network among missionaries, with the goal of sharing formation programs, etc. Rocio explained that from then on, two representatives from each missionary group began to meet in every country. From the beginning, they were accompanied by Fr. Norberto Marroquin (National Director of the PMS) and Rene Maldonado (Executive Secretary of CONAMI). Two members were also invited to forma part of the National Missions Council (Rocio Araujo and Rocio Sosa).
In April 2006, an encounter was planned for June 4 with 5 representatives from all the groups, in which various activities were planned. Later, two encounters with pastoral workers and young adults for missionary formation took place. On April 29, 2006, there was an encounter in El Salvador involving 4 dioceses and a second encounter was held on May 6, 2006 in Jucuapa, Usulutan, with the participation of the 4 closest dioceses. “There was a significant number representing every diocese of our country,” Rocio explained, “and this motivated us even more to continue in our efforts with the youth, converting the mission into a response to God’s plan.” Later, in September 2006, a Missionary Congress for El Salvador was planned by the Bishops’ Conference and the National Missions Council and was held May 2008.
Throughout this process, Rocio says, “emphasis has been placed on the need for us as laity to become more identified with the missionary activity of the Church,” and although “the missionaries being sent up until now have been from religious congregations or missionary institutes, the local Church is little by little opening up this dimension as a result of the missionary thirst of her people.”
“Today, more than ever, being a lay missionary means sharing our commitment and support within a Church with a missionary nature, and that is sure that there is no other way that leads to the Father, to God’s Heart. The missionary zeal of our people is reflected in the specific vocations, in the many men and women that every day dedicate their lives to God’s Kingdom,” concluded the Secretary for the National Missions Council. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 4/6/2008)
