Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Buenos Aires (Agenzia Fides) – On July 26-27, two encounters took place side-by-side at the Pontifical Missionary Societies (PMS) of Argentina headquarters: a formation meeting for the mission ad gentes and a meeting for Argentinean missionaries ad gentes who have returned between 2006-2008 to the country. The news was communicated to Agenzia Fides by Sr. Mariel Robledo, National Secretary of the Societies of the Propagation of the Faith.
The formation meeting was attended by 30 people, the majority being youth. The missionary encounter was attended by 16 people, almost all from among the laity. Both were attended by Bishop Vicente Conejero Gallego, President of the Bishops’ Committee for the Missions, who shared his missionary experience with the participants. Some points from the Final Document of Aparecida and the issue of inculturation were also addressed. The meeting was organized by and attended by Fr. Osvaldo Leone, National Director of the Pontifical Missionary Societies.
The themes addressed during the formation meeting were: proselytism and religious relativism, the need for the mission ad gentes, the main elements of discernment in the mission ad gentes and inculturation. On Saturday night, there was a missionary prayer vigil in one of the parishes in the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires, organized by the national team of missionary groups.
All the participants in the formation meeting have been in training since the beginning of the year, in their local areas. They have been accompanied in their formation and discernment by the Diocesan Directors of the PMS. “The youth have showed their desire to prepare themselves for the mission and mature in their missionary vocation through a serious path of discernment. In the evaluation of the meeting, there was a focus on the importance of each one of the themes and the experiences of the missionaries, who gave their testimonies on Saturday evening, sharing their path of discernment in their missions,” Sr. Mariel said.
The encounter for the missionaries had the following objectives: Share personal experiences as missionaries, renew their missionary commitment to bring the Good News to all, and encourage dialogue and fraternity among those who have returned from foreign missions. Accompanied by Bishop Vicente Conejero Gallego and Father Dante De Sanzzi, currently the National Secretary of the Pontifical Missionary Union, they were able to visit some points of the Aparecida Document in order to achieve some of the goals intended in the meeting. The missionary participants were grateful for the opportunity to hold this meeting organized by the national headquarters, giving them a chance to share their experiences and be renewed in their missionary vocation. Many of these missionaries will return in August to their missionary destinations. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 30/7/2008)
