Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Quito (Agenzia Fides) – After a long and intense preparation, the Third American Missionary Congress (CAM 3) is steadily approaching. The event will take place in Quito (Ecuador) August 12-17. At the end of the Congress, there will be a “launching” of the Great Continental Mission that has been proposed by the Fifth General Conference of Aparecida. With this in mind, Agenzia Fides contacted Fr. Timoteo Lehane Barret S.V.D., National Director of the Pontifical Missionary Societies in Ecuador and Organization Director of the Congress, to ask him a few questions.
We are now entering the final stage of what has been a long period of preparation for the American Missionary Congress (CAM 3). What would you find most worth mentioning, of all this time of preparation? How have the various dioceses and countries responded?
All of us are working together in organizing CAM 3. We are very happy with the people’s response in the various countries and in the dioceses here in Ecuador. As to the response on an international level, there has been a positive response to the Workbook and in many countries they have published it for use in their National Congresses, in preparation for CAM 3. This is really a good sign, as it shows that the delegates will come prepared to the Congress. It also shows the desire for CAM 3 to be more than just a great missionary celebration of the Continent; it gives us the possibility of reflecting on and deepening in our awareness of our missionary commitment as Baptized faithful and of encouraging others to do the same, especially on the mission ad gentes of the local dioceses. I am also grateful to all the heads of PMS in the Americas, for their cooperation with the 16 forums that will take place in the afternoons of the Congress. It is wonderful to see that all the countries are going to take an active role in developing different forums and that each one will be in charge of a specific topic.
As to the response in Ecuador, there has also been a great deal of participation. In addition to the hundreds of volunteers that are helping us here in the central headquarters, there are 2,000 families that are getting ready to host 3,000 missionaries from all over the world and are taking missionary formation courses in various parishes of the Archdiocese of Quito. All the dioceses of Ecuador have had their own Diocesan Missionary Congress in preparation and in order to elect representatives. The theology students in our seminaries and consecrated members are preparing their own meetings, to coincide with the Congress. Since mid-June, we have been blessed to have the relics of the Patroness of the Missions, Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, on a national tour in preparation for the Congress.
What do you hope will come out of this Congress, for all the Americas?
Throughout the entire preparation process, I have witnessed the work of the Holy Spirit. Our Bishops of Latin America and the Carribean, at Aparecida, told us to ‘continue working in the evangelization effort of the Church, called to make all her members disciples and missionaries of Christ – the Way, the Truth, and the Life – so that our people may have life in Him.’ This refers to the people on this continent, however, thanks to a greater understanding of the Christian commitment to solidarity and positive missionary activity in the various Missionary Congresses, we are opening ourselves more and more as a continent to all humanity. Our Pastors, in light of the new situations in Latin America and worldwide, call us to renew our efforts in evangelization, to make deep reflections, and to re-launch our mission as a Church with fidelity and audacity. That is why they are encouraging us to grow, mature, and strengthen our faith, to begin from Christ, to remind all Christians ‘that, by virtue of their Baptism, they are called to be disciples and missionaries of Jesus Christ” and from our continent bear witness to the entire world. Thus, I think that the Aparecida motto perfectly expresses what our pastoral ministers expect from this Congress: that from our continent we hope to be, with all authenticity, disciples and missionaries of Jesus Christ so that our people may have life in Him.
What are the expectations, as far as the number of participants and their places of origin?
Over 3,000 people, missionaries from all the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe, are expected. With that in mind, we will live the Congress with the missionary dimension of the Church that will allow us to enter into communion with the entire Church in the Americas and the Universal Church. For us, in Ecuador, it is important that we welcome and listen to the missionaries who will come to visit us. With their experiences, they will help us to enter into a permanent state of discipleship and reach out more to the other peoples and cultures of the world, and their needs. The people who will be staying in our parishes and in our homes will share their experiences and reflections on the faith, and this will be an important source of enrichment not only for us, but also for them.
At the end of the Congress, there will be a launching of the Great Continental Mission. What is it that led the Bishops to organize this Great Mission? What fruits are expected from it, in regards to the renewal of the Church in Latin America?
Yes, at the end of the Congress, we will have a special ceremony for launching the Great Continental Mission and all the Presidents of the 22 Bishops’ Conferences are invited to attend. For us it is a great source of support and encouragement, a gift that the CELAM has given us. Benedict XVI’s invitation in Aparecida was clear: “begin a new era for the missionary Church in Latin America and the Caribbean, beginning with this Fifth General Conference of Aparecida.” We have already taken steps in Latin America, but the Aparecida Document offers us an opportunity to begin new pastoral activities and invites us to confront the world’s challenges. Thus, I thinks that it will be a moment of profound renewal of our rich Church experience on the continent. It is also an invitation to us to not lose our missionary spirit, but rather to perfect it and mature it in accords with the new demands of our times. Creativity is needed to find the answers to the many and constantly changing challenges that reality presents us with and that demand new missionary activity.
We already know that the problems and difficulties that we live on this continent, as in the rest of the world today, are many and complex, and it is not easy to find a solution. With this in mind, the Holy Father spoke to us in his Opening Address of the fundamental question on the way in which the Church, illuminated by faith in Christ, should react in the face of these challenges. They concern us all. This is what we are hoping for in this Mission.
The fruits that we can hope for will come through the power and grace of the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ offering today to our people, and the basic content of this mission, is fullness of life for all. And we are all called to live a life of mission, on fire with the announcement of Jesus, the Truth from the Father. We should be able to make Christ’s Light shine in the world today and offer others paths of new life through our own life and testimony. This requires unity on our part, to offer the world an authentic testimony and a service of hope to the smallest among us. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 23/7/2008)
