Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kinshasa (Fides Service)- “One of the most important indications which emerged from last year’s Missiology Congress was decision to build in Kinshasa an all Africa Centre for Missionary Documentation and Training Kinshasa” said Bishop Tharcisse Tshishiku Tshibangu of Mbujimaiyi, Vice President of the Congo Bishops’ Conference and chairman of the organising committee of the Tertio Millenio Missiology Congress.
The Missiology Congress of which the acts were recently published was held in Kinshasa (capital of Democratic Cong) 11 - 17 July 2004. It was organised under the patronage of the Congregation for the Evngelisation of Peoples under the aegis of the Symposium of Bishops’ Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Democratic Congo. The aim of the Congress was to take stock of the local Church’s missionary activity and indentify new paths for mission (see Fides 19 July 2004).
“The new Institute to be built in Kinshasa is a fruit of collaboration between the Comboni Missionaries and SECAM and its aim is to be a centre for documentation, reflection and preparation for mission in Africa” the Bishop told Fides. “The Centre will be named after Saint Daniele Comboni who over one hundred eears ago realised the importance of forming local missionaries here in Africa ” said Bishop Tshishiku Tshibangu.
In the Congress conclusions the participants unscored the importance of inculturation of the faith centred on the person inserted in structures of sin and called to resurrection. Inculturation of the faith demands on-going formation in particular for the laity so that “in temporal activities they may be at the service of integral and lasting development of all men and women and society”.
The Congress participants also underlined the need to give special attention to the formation of women who have a specific calling and role in the Church and in society. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 20/7/2005 righe 32 parole 348)
