Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Dacca (Agenzia Fides) – The missionaries have given and continue to give a determining contribution to the evangelization of the country, for human promotion and for the social development of the Bengal people.
On the one hand, there are missionaries who have dedicated their entire lives to Bangladesh. For example, Adolfo L'Imperio, PIME missionary of the Diocese of Gaeta (Italy). On the other hand, the Holy Spirit continues to bring new missionary vocations from among the youth, as has occurred recently in the village of Gulta, in the Diocese of Rajshahi, where the young Joseph Mongol Ain made his commitments as a may missionary in PIME. He will now go to serve in Africa.
Fr. L'Imperio, recalling his 40 years on the missions, highlights that “it is not one individual person that goes to be a missionary, but the entire Church that as a community goes when anyone accepts this task.”
The missionary was in Bangladesh before it even existed as an autonomous republic. It was still known as “East Pakistan,” as a result of the partition of the Indian subcontinent, carried out by the English.
Fr. Adolfo recalls the difficult years of the mission, as the country experienced a bloody war for its independence. Over these 40 years, Fr. Adolfo has started a mission in Dhanjuri, among the Santal Tribe; not long afterwards, beginning with the war for independence, he was Director of Caritas, to administer aid that came in from countries from all over the world. He planned and carried out many construction projects, not only of churches and shrines, but also for hospitals, hostels, houses for the poor. He was also pastor of the Cathedral of Dinajpur and Director of the “Leprosy Project” in Dhanjuri.
Today, as “Banglanews” recalls, he is working on school support, helping over 310 children between 10 and 16 years of age to attend secondary school and high school, something that would otherwise be impossible for them: the illiteracy rate in Bangladesh is now at nearly 50% nationwide.
In addition, among his greatest achievements is that of having contributed to the cultural and spiritual formation, as well as the support, of many priests in the young local Church.
Fr. Adolfo's life is an example for many young people interested in the consecrated life and the missions. Through Joseph Mongol Ain, lay missionary of PIME from the small community of Gulta (nearly 1,000 Catholics), the small Church of Bangladesh is carrying out its missionary labor. In fact, the first destination of the new missionary will be in Cameroon where Joseph will carry out his commitment to evangelization. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 14/7/2009)
