Agenzia Fides

Warsaw (Agenzia Fides) - The 46th missionary Symposium of seminarians, organized by the National Secretary of the Pontifical Missionary Union (PMU), was held in Warsaw from 5 to 8 July. According to information sent to Fides Agency from the National Directorate of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) of Poland, 24 seminarians from various diocesan seminaries and religious participated in the conference on the theme "Proclaim faith with joy to the entire world". The Eucharist presided by Fr. Luca Bovio IMC, National Secretary of the PMU, opened the Symposium during which two conferences were proposed: the first on the role of the Missionary Formation Center in Warsaw for the preparation of missionaries, held by Fr. Janusz Paciorek, director of the Center; the second on the life and work of the Servant of God Pauline Jaricot, as a testimony of the commitment of the faithful in the missionary work of the Church, by Fr. Franciszek Jablonski, diocesan director of the PMS. The seminarians also had the opportunity to meet missionaries from Chad, Ethiopia and Brazil.
In previous days, from 1 to 4 July, always in Warsaw, there was the School of Missionary Animators, sponsored by the PMS. This year the participants were 36 (12 women religious, 7 seminarians, 3 priests and 14 lay people) who had the opportunity to get to know the PMS, meet some missionaries, study how to awaken the missionary conscience and the commitment at the service of missions. His Exc. Mgr. Jan Ozga, Bishop of Doumé-Abong' Mbang in Cameroon, met the Animators and presented the situation of the Church in the African country. The School of Missionary Animators for 15 years has brought together people from all over Poland, between 15 and 85 years of age, and has already prepared 700 people for missionary animation.
To encourage reflection and personal commitment to missions, Msgr. Tomasz Atlas, National Director of the PMS in Poland, has published a book ("Zakochani ludziach w") which explains the service of Polish missionaries, on the strength of his experience in Congo-Brazzaville and visits to mission countries. The proceeds of the sale of the book is intended for the Pontifical Society of St. Peter the Apostle, which supports seminaries in mission lands. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 11/7/2012)