Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Santiago de Chile (Agenzia Fides) – On Saturday, October 17, at the Marian College of Santiago de Chile, there will be a National Encounter of Women's Pastoral Ministry on the theme: “Women, missionary disciples for life in Chile.” According to a note sent to all the Pastors of the country and signed by the President of the National Commission of Women's Pastoral Ministry of the Chilean Bishops' Conference and Archbishop Ignacio Ducasse Medina of Valdivia, the objective of the initiative is to “remind those women working in pastoral ministry and collaborating in the Church in the process of the Continental Mission to determine for themselves their specific role in the mission.”
The Aparecida Document also mentioned the need “to guide the organization of the pastoral ministry in such a way so as to help discover and develop in each woman and each ecclesial and social environment, that 'feminine genius,' to promote a greater participation of women,” reads a note on the event signed by Archbishop Medina. The encounter will focus on four main moments. First, there is the “Encounter with Christ,” which calls for a “prayerful reading of the Word” and a reflection on the theme “The woman as disciple in the encounter with Christ.” Before lunch, there is a second encounter planned, with the objective of “encouraging participants to make their womanhood a gift for the life of the Church in Chile.” The first afternoon will have a plenary assembly as a synthesis of the previous discussions, to “identify the essential traits of femininity as a gift for the continental mission in the life of Chile.” The third moment will be for “reflection on the task that we are assuming in the Continental Mission,” which will be followed by the fourth part, with a Mass, “a moment of thanksgiving and sending out,” that will include a presentation of the initiative “Gospel for Chile” that forms a part of the activities featured during the Continental Mission (see Fides 5/10/2009). (GT) (Agenzia Fides 16/10/2009)
