Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Iquique (Agenzia Fides) - About 200 people attend the Fifth National Conference of Animators and Leaders of the ministry of the Pontifical Society of Holy Childhood Association, held from Friday, January 8 to Monday, January 11 at the school of Mary, Help of Christians in Iquique. As Fides has learned the meeting, which for the first time was held outside of the metropolitan area, saw representatives from the Diocese of Arica, Antofagasta, Calama, La Serena, Valparaíso, San Felipe, Santiago, Rancagua, Melipilla, Linares , Concepcion, Castro, Puerto Montt, and the Military Diocese, in addition to Iquique, which this time will be the host community.
"This is a very beautiful work, work that depends on the Pontifical Mission Societies, and always in partnership with the Holy See," said the Bishop Marco Antonio Ordenes Fernandez of Iquique, presenting the initiative with Sister Sonia Soto Barra, director of the event, and Pablo Vilches, representative of the coordinating group. "The meeting has as its main purpose: to encourage the participants and to propose once more the theme of childhood," the Bishop said, recalling that "it is a work of the Church, which aims to support pastoral work with children, adolescents, and youth, in particular to stimulate the missionary dimension among the smallest."
The conference program says that on Saturday, January 9, there will be several training seminars, while in the afternoon participants will recite the "Missionary Rosary" along the streets of Iquique. At the end, there is a cultural event at the headquarters of the Municipal Theater. Sunday, January 10th there will be a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Carmen of La Tirana, to entrust the Virgin Mary with the path of the continental mission, which began at the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in Brazil. On Monday the 11th, at the conclusion of the conference, there will be a Mass celebrated with the sending of missionaries, featuring about 200 animators and leaders from different cities around Chile, and there will also be an announcement regarding the hosting city for the sixth national meeting. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 09/01/2010)
