Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Chiclayo (Fides Service) – “Our world today represents as always, as great challenge for the mission of the Church. Christ’s message must be proclaimed to many of our brothers and sisters who have yet to hear it; therefore today more than ever the Church must be clear about her missionary dimension”. This was said by Bishop Jesùs Moliné Labarta, of Chiclayo (Peru) who is President of the organising committee of Peru’s first National Missionary Congress which will take place 6 to 10 August 2003 in his diocese. The Congress is promoted jointly by the Bishops’ Conference by means of its Missions’ Commission, the national office of the Pontifical Mission Societies and the diocese of Chiclayo. The theme is: “The missionary dimension of diocesan pastoral in the light of the Word of God and recent Church Teaching: an answer to the challenges of the third millennium.” The aim of the Congress “is to increase missionary awareness in the Particular Churches, so that at the start of the new millennium, they may respond with greater generosity and effectiveness to the pastoral challenges posed by the world of today and by the mandate given by Christ”.
Speaking to Fides Service, Rev. Gianfranco Iacopi, National Director of the PMS in Peru, quoted John Paul II in the post-synodal exhortation Ecclesia in America who encouraged the Particular Churches to “to extend their work of evangelisation beyond the continental frontiers ” (EA 74) -, and he said the Congress is planned on this line. It intends to “encourage, foster and promote the opening of dioceses to mission ‘ad gentes’ because the Church in Peru cannot close in on herself under the pretext that much remains to be done in her own dioceses or that it is necessary first to reach a certain situation, utopian, of full realisation”. “This is why – says Rev. Iacopi – the Congress which has adopted the motto ‘Go out of your land to announce the Gospel’, will be attended by those responsible for evangelisation at the nation level. They will be about 4.000, including bishops, episcopal vicars, formators of institutes of consecrated life, pastoral workers, committed laity and children of Missionary Childhood.”
The missionary meeting will open on 6 August with a ceremony presided by Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani, Archbishop of Lima. Every day speakers will illustrate two themes, which will then be enhanced by discussion among the participants. The themes are the following: “The missionary conscience and attitude of Jesus ” (Bishop Norberto Strotmann, of Chosico, Peru); “The missionary activity of the early Church ” (Rev. Tomàs Kraft O.P); “The urgency of missionary proclamation today” (Bishop Luis Castro Quiroga, Tunja, Colombia); “Missionary spirituality ” (Bishop Daniel Turley, of Chulucanas, Peru); “Mission ad gentes” (Bishop Victorino Girardi, of Tileràn, Costa Rica).
To help local Churches and institutions at all levels to prepare for the important event, rediscovering its missionary vocation as part of the more ample missionary dimension of the universal Church, the organising Committee has prepared a working paper for the Congress to act as a fundamental tool of preparation together with the study of the Redemptoris Missio encyclical. The working paper is based on five aspects of missionary work: why speak of mission today?; the Trinitarian missions; the importance today of mission; the missionary situation today; concrete missionary attitudes.
Special guests at the Congress include Archbishop Rino Passigato, Apostolic Nuncio in Peru and Rev. Father Massimo Cenci PIME, Under Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. The dateline for enrolment is 24 June 2003, and it can be done at every parish in every diocese in Peru. (R.Z.) (Fides Service 3/6/2003; lines 43; words 543)
