Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Itaiupu (Agenzia Fides) - Accompanying young people participating in the World Youth Day in Rio De Janeiro to "get to know and fall in love with the missionary spirit": is the goal of the Pontifical Mission Societies in several Latin American countries, which, as reported in Fides, take part in World Youth Day. In preparation for the event, in past days thousands of young people participated in the "Missionary Week" organized by the local churches that welcomed young people from around the world in Brazil. In Belo Horizonte, the "Missionary Week" opened with the participation of 20 thousand young people. In Petropolis the opening of Missionary Week involved thousands of young people and the largest group was from Chile. According to data sent to Fides by the Conference of Bishops of Brazil, among the non-Brazilian enrolled in the "Missionary Week," there were more than 30 thousand young Latin Americans and also from other continents, welcomed in 150 Brazilian cities. Although it is not possible to give a definite number of young Brazilians participating in this "Missionary Week" in preparation for World Youth Day, it is estimated that over 500 thousand Brazilians took part.
Among the experiences reported to Fides, on July 16, the youth of the Youth Mission (JM), movement of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS), from Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia and Angola participated in the "Missionary Week" in Sao Goncalo ( near Rio de Janeiro). And, to deepen the spirit and missionary commitment, visited the Community of Santos Anjos, in Itaiupu, oceanic region of Niterói (RJ) to learn about their mission and their charisma. The community, which gained diocesan recognition, is a new experience of Christian life for families and lay". The community was founded in 1993 by a retired engineer, Paulo Diniz and his wife Livia.
Celebrating 20 years of mission, the community now has about 100 members in six cities of the Archdiocese of Niterói. Community members assist about 100 families in need. "We work in concert with parishes, but we try to go to places where the parish cannot go", says Paulo Diniz in the note sent to Fides by the PMS in Brazil. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 19/07/2013)
