AFRICA/SENEGAL - The 8000 Dakar missionaries committed to bringing "the joy of the Gospel" everywhere,

Thursday, 16 January 2014

Dakar (Agenzia Fides) - Approximately 8000 children and young people of the Archdiocese of Dakar gathered on Sunday 12th January, on the feast of the Baptism of Jesus, at the National Shrine of Popenguine in the sign of the joy of the Gospel and the Mission. As pointed out by Fr. Bruno Favero, OMI, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS), in his message to Fides Agency, the pilgrimage of missionary children is now becoming the strong and joyful moment of the whole childhood pastoral.
"The theme which is strongly missionary, inspired by the apostolic exhortation of Pope Francis 'Evangelii gaudium', was greeted with joy by the children, who are committed to being, in their context of life, the missionaries of Jesus, empowered by Baptism to bring the joy of the Gospel in their communities, in their families and in school", said Fr. Favero .
Don Alfred Waly Sarr, Rector of the Liberman Major Seminary in Sebikotane, who presided over the Eucharistic celebration, was able to capture the attention of young people by establishing an open dialogue with them and invited them to live in the joy of the Gospel and to bring this joy to everyone. Before this "Church of Tomorrow" formed by children, the voice against ill-treatment of childhood and its exploitation was raised. With a symbolic gesture, some adults asked the children for forgiveness for all the horrible things the have had to suffer. "To the 8000 children in Dakar – concludes Fr. Favero – one should add the thousands of other children who have lived in this period the feast of Holy Childhood in their dioceses: a pilgrim Church with the joy of the Gospel!" (SL) (Agenzia Fides 16/01/2014)


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