EUROPE/ITALY - Diocesan and regional delegates and lay leaders of the Pontifical Mission Societies Italy start annual meeting 1-4 July in Rome: on the agenda the drafting of an operative Vademecum.

Rome (Fides Service) - Today 1 July diocesan and regional delegates and lay leaders of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Italy start their annual meeting which will last until Sunday 4 July. Some 120 participants representing 55 dioceses are expected to attend the event at Fraterna Domus in Sacrofano outside Rome. The meeting will open with a conference by Mgr. Giuseppe Andreozzi, National PMS Director for Italy, on ‘The Service of the Pontifical Mission Societies for the Missionary Universality of the Church in Italy’ in which he will underline the importance of the presence of the PMS in the dioceses because of their openness to universality. On Friday 2 July the national secretaries of the 4 mission Societies will give their reports: Father Vito del Prete, Secretary of the Pontifical Missionary Union Italy will introduce the theme of ‘World Mission Day’ and Rev. Giuseppe Pellegrini, national vice director, will speak about ‘The Universal Fund of Solidarity. Saturday 3 July it will be the turn of Mgr. Angelo Sceppacerca, Secretary of the Italian Office for the Propagation of the Faith, will speak on the contents of Missionary Month of October, and Stefania Bascapè, secretary of Holy Childhood Italy. Sunday 4 July, Mgr. Andreozzi will close the meeting with an intervention to present guidelines for the drafting of an operative Vademecum to offer PMS delegates and leaders concrete support in their work of missionary animation and promotion of cooperation. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 1/7/2004 - righe 15; parole 200)