Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Czestochowa (Agenzia Fides) - "We Announce to the World: God is Love" was the theme of the 8th National Missionary Congress for Children held in Czestochowa, at the National Shrine of the Black Madonna in Jasna Gora, May 28 and 29. According to information received by Fides, the Congress was attended by the National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) of Poland, Father Jan Piotrowski, and National Director of the PMS in Lebanon, Father Paul Karam, in addition to priests, religious, catechists, missionary animators, all the leaders of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the country, and, of course, the children of the Holy Childhood Association.
The first day of the Congress, participants met with the missionaries and attended the Marian prayer, “The Jasna Gora Appeal,” in the Chapel of Our Lady. On Saturday, May 29, Mass was celebrated at the Shrine of the Black Madonna, presided by Bishop Stanislaw Budzik, Secretary General of the Polish Bishops' Conference. "Love is the soul of the mission,” the Bishop said in his homily. “Missionary activity comes from love and bears witness to love. Every person who loves Christ, who loves man, must support the missions and missionaries through prayer."
Missionary animation was led by several groups, including a group of "Missio" youth from the Archdiocese of Czestochowa. During the Congress, there was a National Competition "Mój szkolny Kolega Misja z - My Missionary Companion,” dedicated to the history of the Holy Childhood Association. The Pontifical Society of the Holy Childhood Association has been present in Poland since 1858. (MF/SL) (Agenzia Fides 05/31/2010)
