Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bkerke (Agenzia Fides) - It will be the "special envoys in the Year of Faith" to "radiate the missionary spirit and zeal of universal solidarity": more than 700 priests, nuns, lay people, educators, leaders, catechists received a solemn "missionary mandate" by His Beatitude Mar Bechara Boutros Rai, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and all the East and President of the Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon. This was reported to Fides Agency by Fr. Paul Karam, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in Lebanon, noting that the solemn celebration, held in past days in Bkerke, the seat of the Maronite Patriarchate, intended "to open the missionary month and present to the whole community the Apostolic Letter 'Porta Fidei ', in which the Pope explains the content and spirit of the Year of Faith."
During the celebration, he notes "the profound link between faith and the Year of Faith and the missionary dimension was understood, to which all the faithful are called in the Middle East."
The Apostolic Nuncio in Lebanon, Archbishop Caccia, present during the Eucharist, stressed "the missionary role of catechists, as stated in the Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in the Middle East" delivered by the Pope in his recent trip to Lebanon.
"The Church in Lebanon - concludes the Director of the PMS - aims to motivate its animators, catechists, religious and missionaries, so that they may renew the zeal of evangelization in the Year of Faith." (PA) (Agenzia Fides 13/10/2012)
