Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Cumana (Agenzia Fides) – With the objective of “renewing, reaffirming, and celebrating the call, the awareness, and the baptismal commitment of Venezuela's youth, in order to respond to the great challenges of the mission ad gentes,” the Pontifical Mission Societies, in its youth sector (“JOVENMISION”) is organizing the IV National Youth Missionary Congress, which hopes to gather over 500 young people from the various groups where “JOVENMISION” is active, as well as youth from local parishes.
The event will take place April 30 to May 3, in the Archdiocese of Cumana, situated in the eastern part of the country, which since the middle of last year has been preparing everything for the Congress.
The Congress is entitled “Be a Missionary Disciple for the Youth,” and enters into the Great Continental Mission and the theme is “Evangelization of the Young Person in Today's World.”
Among the specific objectives of the encounter are: offer time for personal and community reflection on how to live the faith in Jesus Christ, Good News for the youth; celebrate the 25th anniversary of “JOVENMISION”; evaluate its path thus far and its apostolic commitment, encouraging the youth in their evangelization effort; reaffirm the missionary dimension of Youth Ministry; offer an opportunity to reflect on the missionary character of the local and universal Church.
During the event, the youth will be encouraged to discover the challenges and situations of their local Churches, so as to increase their awareness of the need for the mission, and find the most efficient means for announcing the Gospel of life in our Churches and beyond our own borders.
One of the elements that will mark the celebration of this National Congress is the celebration of the first 25 years of missionary activity of the “JOVENMISION,” a service offered by the Pontifical Mission Societies of Venezuela to reawaken the youth to the mission and help them to become missionaries within and outside their country. There have been many fruits over the years, as a result of these Congresses, both for the local and universal Church. One of these is the evidence of the response it offers to the needs of today's youth in society. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 13/3/2009)
