Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service) - At the meeting of the General Assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies, on Saturday 9 May, Father Hermann Shaluck, National Director of the PMS in Germany, and Rev. Giuseppe Pellegrini, Vice director of the PMS in Italy presented a proposal to start a universal Missionary Youth Movement. They said there is need of a youth movement because Missionary Childhood works only with children up to the age of 14, 16 in some countries. In March this year National PMS Directors from all over Europe met in Lisbon to discuss the idea of a Youth Movement and a programme to present to the participants at the annual PMS General Assembly in May in Rome, Ciampino.
In his address on May 9, Rev. Pellegrini, said the youth pastoral programmes should include the missionary dimension because young people today are a richness and a hope, many are involved in the missionary dimension and are willing to go far away. Moreover mission draws the world of youth and the challenge of mission still motivates young people. Inter-exchange is an opportunity for formation for them and here an important part of their formation is at stake. For these reasons it seems urgent to start a movement of missionary commitment for young people.
For his part, Father Shaluck proposed to promote the organisation of this group in the wake of World Youth Days WYD and more concretely on the occasion of the 20th World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany in 2005, and that several meetings had been held to this purpose with the organisers. Among the proposals presented one to set up a delegation of PMS Youth formed of 2 or 3 members from each of the countries in which the PMS. The delegation should have particularly visibility during the official moments of World Youth Day, such as the welcoming the Pope, the Vigil, the Mass. A proposal was also made to set up a Permanent Mission Exhibition animated by young members of the PMS Delegation to offer other young people who request it, moments of common missionary animation. (R.G.) (Agenzia Fides 10/5/2004; Righe 24; Parole 325)
