Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Agenzia Fides) – Bishop Jorge Vega Velasco, SVD, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in Chile and a speaker at the General Assembly of the PMS which was held in Rome last week, in an interview with Fides told of the great event of his episcopal ordination and the work that the missionary groups are carrying out in Chile.
Indeed, only recently was Bishop Vega appointed Bishop of Illapel. The episcopal ordination took place in Santiago de Chile at the end of April and was attended by many bishops from across the country. Bishop Vega has been the National Director of the PMS for 7 years and was a missionary in Angola.
Asked about the activities of the PMS in Chile, Bishop Vega said that after Aparecida and the proposal for the Continental Mission, everything changed in Chile: "Every parish has a missionary spirit; each group of young people has a missionary spirit. The diocesan plans have the proposals of the Continental Mission as their guide,” he said. “Each of the four Pontifical Mission Societies have made the Continental Mission their guide for the various training activities...It's interesting to see how in Chile the proposed plan to implement the Continental Mission was so flexible, well-structured and so clear, that starting from the Diocese and coming to individual parishes, the Church is experiencing a particular enthusiasm in the commitment to Continental Mission," said Bishop Vega.
"There are activities that surely had influence beyond the borders of Chile: the Gospel written down by famous people in our society and the missionary image of Our Lady of Mount Caramel are only two of the events that involved the entire country as never before," says the Bishop.
"Even the tragic events we have lived, like the earthquake, especially among young people, has awakened a sense of solidarity and a strong missionary enthusiasm. I saw young people loading their family cars or their own cars with food and blankets to take to the earthquake areas, long before the government decided what to do," said Bishop Vega. “The Church has always played a leading role in immediate relief and assistance to people most in need.”
Bishop Jorge Vega Velasco, SVD worked for 13 years as a missionary in Angola. Upon his return to Chile, he became the head of the secretariat of the missions for the SVD order and later, the head of missionary animation in the SVD's Pan-American Zone. In 2003, he was appointed National Director of the PMS in Chile and later became editor of "Chile Misionero."
On February 19, 2010, he was appointed Bishop of Illapel and was ordained on April 17, 2010.
Bishop Vega expressed his joy to Fides for the fact that he can count on those working in the PMS in the exercise of his ministry. He expressed his gratitude for those who congratulated him on his 25th anniversary of priesthood and is committed to increasingly involving youth groups in his episcopal ministry with a missionary spirit. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 05/26/2010)
