Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Concepcion (Agenzia Fides) – There were 68 missionaries, for most part members of the Schoensttat Apostolic Movement, who, for the third consecutive year, gave life to the Missionary Families in the town of Cabrero, Chile. According to the note sent to Fides by the Episcopal Conference of Chile , the leader of the group of young people, Astrid Galdames, stressed that "the goal this year was to carry out missions in the family", for this purpose was attended by the parents with their children and other friends invited to form such a great community that has gone in different districts of the town of Cabrero. Among the missionaries there were six entire families, with lots of friends and other family members involved on this occasion. The 68 people were accepted in the school San Jose, where there were also activities for families.
According to the note received by Fides from the Chilean Episcopal Conference, the leader of the youth group, Astrid Galdames, emphasised that “this year's goal was to carry out family missions.” Thus, parents attended with their children and other guests, so forming a great community which went to different districts of the town of Cabrero. Among the missionaries there were six entire families, with lots of friends and other family members involved for this occasion. 68 people were accepted at the San José school, where there were also activities for families.
There were moments of authentic mission, of prayer and also of formation, but most of the time was devoted by the missionaries to visiting families door to door. There were also celebrations, a play and the celebration of Mass with a procession to finish. Every night a different family was responsible for organising a play that took its cue from a television program or a fact of life of the community familiar to everyone, to offer a new opportunity to reflect and to make a Christian response to these events.
The testimonies of the participants are many and very rich for the experience they had with families in this missionary task. “At first the local people were not very interested, but now, after the missions, they continue to try to talk and reflect on the meaning of going on a mission,” said Pablo Humud, one of the heads of the families. Every day, for the community celebrations in the parish of “Santa Filomena de Cabrero”, about a hundred people gathered, under the guidance of priest, Francisco Basañez, and seminarian, Pedro Larraín. (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 02/02/2011)
