Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Querétaro (Fides Service) – At least 10.000 young people from dioceses all over Mexico are expected to take part in the 8th national missionary youth congress (CONAJUM 2003) which will take place from 31 July to 3 August at Querétaro (Mexico), with the slogan: ““youth of the new millennium, do not be afraid to carry the Gospel to the world! !”. Father Carlos Navarrete, of the national office of Pontifical Mission Societies in Mexico tells Fides Service.
National missionary youth congresses (CONAJUM) started as part of Missionary Congresses organised regularly by the Church in Mexico since 1942, when there was the first Mexican Missionary Congress. The first CONAJUM was held 1982, and since them they have been held every three years: the next will be the eight edition. The goal of the Congress is to “face the challenge of the new millennium in the Church, involving the Mexican Church, walking with hope and putting out into the deep, with ardent missionary animation and formation to carry the Gospel, particularly to those who do not know Christ. ”.
The Congress will open on 31 July with a solemn celebration of Mass presided by Bishop Mario de Gasperín of Querétaro. The first conference of the Congress with be given by Mgr. Jorge Mejía Flores, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Mexico on the theme: “Evangelisation, essential duty of the Church”. On Friday 1 July two young members of the Youth Missionary League will address the Congress on the theme: “the encounter with the living Christ, indispensable for working in the Church’s mission ”. On day two the conference will be given by missionary Bishop Victorino Girardi of Tilarán (Costa Rica): “From Pastoral to Universal Mission ”. Saturday 2 August there will be two conferences: “At the beginning of the third millennium” and“The Ad gentes dimension of evangelisation”.
On Sunday 3 August, at the end of a Missionary March through the town the closing conference will be given by Fr. Carlos Navarrete, Secretary and National Assessor of the Propagation of the Faith and of the Missionary Youth League, on: “The duties and characteristics of a young missionary ”. A solemn celebration of the Eucharist concelebrated by the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Giuseppe Bertello, with all the bishops and priests present will close CONAJUM 2003.
The Congress is preceded with a period of intense preparation at the diocesan level with pre-congresses and other activities of missionary animation on the bases of the CONAJUM 2003 working paper, prepared in harmony with that of the American Missionary Congress (CAM 2) which will take place in November this year Guatemala. The CONAJUM 2003 working paper focuses on the following thematic areas: “Living spirituality for the mission”; “Young people protagonists of God’s missionary plan”; “Mission, life of the parish community”; “The universal mission in the hands of the Particular Church”. A supplement regards more specifically evangelisation in Querétaro: from the major Orders which came to this land (Franciscans, Dominicans, Augustinians, Carmelites Jesuits Mercedarians...) to the diocesan clergy who built the history of the faith in the diocese of Querétaro. (R.Z.) (Agenzia Fides 5/6/2003; lines 37; words 476)
