Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lisbon (Fides Service) - ‘I have heard my people cry’ is the theme chosen for World Mission Day by the Church in Portugal, taken from the Liturgy of that Sunday. This local Church is preparing to celebrate the missionary month with intensity. Presenting the PMS handbook Guide to Missionary October, Father Manuel Durães Barbosa, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies says: “although mission is not exclusive to October, we want this month to be a time of reflection, prayer and activity for mission ad gentes”. In fact the slogan is a point of departure for a serious reflection , “these words call for commitment to freedom, to mission without frontiers” the national director told Fides.
To help dioceses and parishes revive a spirit of mission among all Christians, in collaboration with the Bishops’ Commission for Missions the PMS prepared a booklet “Guide to Missionary October 2004”. The objectives are: to animate the month with times for reflection and prayer to make it a month dedicated to mission; encourage ecclesial communities to foster consecrated and lay vocations to missions at the service of the young Churches; build a spirit of solidarity and cooperation with the poorer Churches, adopting a simpler style of life marked by sharing of resources; increase interest for mission information in view of discovering the riches of the young Churches and the values of the different cultures to contribute towards dialogue and understanding among peoples; promote mutual knowledge and collaboration among Christians, diocesan missionary institutions and missionaries of different institutes; promote participation in actions and campaigns to promote justice and peace.
The Guide present 5 themes one for each week in October: “With Mary, accepting the Word and Mission; “Prayer”;” Sacrifice”, “ Sharing”, “The Missionary Vocation”. The guide offers an example for weekly meetings: reflection on a Bible theme, a prayer followed by resolutions of commitment. A good part of the Guide consists of comments on Sunday Mass Scripture readings in October to help priests and liturgical animators prepare homilies and liturgies. Other suggested activities include, a youth prayer vigil, a missionary rosary, the missionary Stations of the Cross, the schema of the Mass for the Evangelisation of Peoples, daily prayers. The section, “Mission during the year” offers practical suggestions to help the experience of the mission month of October last all through the year. (R.Z.) (Agenzia Fides 28/9/2004; Righe 32, Parole 435).
