AMERICA/BRAZIL - New missionary animation and activity for missionary congregations in Brazil in the light of Vatican II: goal of 1st Inter-Congregational Mission ad gentes Congress in April

Friday, 18 February 2005

Brasilia (Fides Service) - In the context of the present debate on Mission ad gentes, encouraged by recent National Mission Congresses and the American Mission Congress CAM 2, and in the awareness that Consecrated Life is always almost the main agent of mission ad gentes, at home and abroad, this year the Church in Brazil will hold its 1st Inter-Congregational Mission Ad Gentes in São Paulo. Father Daniele Lagni, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Brazil told Fides that there are 1,802 Brazilian missionaries working all over the world and 98% are men and women religious, and 80% of this percentage are women religious. The Congress will be an opportunity for encounter, prayer, reflection, sharing and co-ordination for Religious Congregations involved in mission ad gentes, within the framework of missionary animation undertaken by the Church in Brazil.
The 1st Inter-Congregational Mission Ad Gentes, which will reflect on the theme “Ad Gentes Decree - 40 years on: genesis, importance and prospects for Religious Life” will take place 21 - 23 April 2005, at the La Salle Centre for Education and Social Assistance at Ceaslas, São Paulo.
Consecrated Life is called to be an example and to assume once again its prophetic role of total dedication to mission (cfr. VC 72), listening to the Word and following the signs of the times (cfr. VC 81), rediscovering its identity in the power of witness (cfr. VC 76) and the value of universal brotherhood (cfr. VC 51), opening new paths for programmes of presence and action all over the world (cfr. VC 78). With these points in mind, Father Lagni said the Congress will aim to “animate the life of missionary congregations so that starting from the instructions of the Second Vatican Council they may outline new horizons for new ethics and new programmes of missionary activity and animation in the Church in Brazil”.
The cross-axis of the reflection - Father Lagni said - will be the Ad Gentes decree, “because it affirms unequivocally that the Church is missionary by nature (cfr. AG 2). Consequently, for consecrated religious, mission is not something in addition to their identity of persons who live in a special ‘state of perfection, it is their identity. Therefore to reread Ad Gentes means to reread a way of being, a life style and a missionary programme as the essence of consecrated life. It is a matter, in other words, of re-thinking this state of life from the point of view of mission and its challenges”.
More than 300 representatives of missionary congregations involved in mission Mission ad gentes will attend the Congress. The programme will include, prayer, conferences, debates, reflection, round table discussion, conferences and debates, reflections, testimony and plenary assembly. Conferences given by experts from the world of mission, will focus on various subjects including: “Genesis and imperatives of the Decree “Ad Gentes” - a missiological reading of Vatican II” , Father. Paulo Suess; “Salt and Light: rethinking religious life starting from Mission” Father Edênio Valle; “Challenges and goals for a new missionary ethics” Father Paulo Suess and Father Edênio Valle; “The role of missionary institutes in the today of the Church in Brazil”. (R.Z.) (Agenzia Fides 18/2/2005; righe 38; parole 516)


Share: