EUROPE/SPAIN - 6th Youth Missionary Encounter with the theme: “Missionaries like Saint Paul”

Madrid (Agenzia Fides) – On April 25-26, 2009, Madrid will be hosting the 6th Youth Missionary Encounter, organized by the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in Spain. The event will be attended by youth from all over the dioceses of Spain with a missionary interests.
The theme of the encounter is “Missionaries like Saint Paul,” and the main objective is that of presenting the mission in the spirit of Saint Paul, linking it with the celebration of the Day for Native Vocations (celebrated in Spain on April 26). The Encounter is open to youth over 18 with vocational and missionary interests.
Professor Father Juan Luis Lorda, University Chaplain of the University of Navarra will give the opening speech on the first day, on “The New 'Pauls' of Today.” In the afternoon, the youth will be able to participate in various different missionary workshops, organized by youth missionary groups, entitled “Preaching Christ on All the Continents.” The workshop on the Americas will be led by the group “Professional Schools of the Holy Family” (SAFA), that of Europe by “Christians without Borders”, and Asia will be done by the “Corpus Christi Movement.”
The youth will later have the opportunity to listen to the testimony of a spirited Angolan missionary, Eduardo Tchipolo, formator in the Spanish Province, who will speak on his missionary experience, focusing on the theme of reconciliation. Saturday, the 25th, will conclude with a Prayer Vigil with Sister Glenda, a sister from Chile world-renowned for her religious songs. On the 26th, the youth will continue with their missionary workshops. This time, with Oceania, which will be led by the Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz, and Africa, which will be led by the Verbum Dei Missionary Fraternity. The encounter will end with a Mass at 1pm. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 31/3/2009)