AMERICA/BRAZIL - Parish missions, proposal for evangelisation: 40th Regional Pastoral Meeting of Bishops in north east region 2 of Brazil

Tuesday, 20 September 2005

Igarassu (Fides Service) - Bishops of 20 dioceses in the states of Alagoas, Pernambuco, Paraíba and Rio Grande which form the north east region 2 of Brazil of the Brazilian Bishops Conference are meeting for their 40th Regional Pastoral Meeting 20 to 23 September at Mariapolis Centre in Igarassu, Pernambuco to reflect on the theme: “Holy parish missions - a proposal for evangelising Region NE 2 in the light of the project ‘We want to see Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life”. About 150 participants will include bishops, clergy and pastoral workers involved in various Church sectors and movements at the regional level.
Bishop Antonio Muniz Fernandes of Guarabira, Paraiba, President of the Bishops of Region NE2 said the meeting aims to “offer concrete encouragement to the National Plan for Evangelisation proposing parish missions as a privileged means of service, dialogue, proclamation and witness of communion”. He said parish missions are an initiative to harness popular religiosity for evangelisation: “we intend as the local Church to respond to the new realities of religious practices of our people there where there is an obvious drop in the number of people who declare themselves Catholics”. According to a survey on Religious Mobility in Brazil made at the request of the Brazilian Bishops’ Conference by the Centre of Religious Statistics and Social Research, in a 1991 census Catholics made up 83.3% of the population: the percentage dropped in 2000 to 73.9%. With parish missions the Bishops will launch door-to-door evangelisation visiting families to show the Church’s concern for all men and women.
Among the most important themes for reflection we mention: “The significance of the mission of Jesus Christ today”; “Missionary spirituality and mystics”; “objectives and methods of Holy Parish Missions”; “Missionary challenges in Region NE2”. (RZ) (Agenzia Fides 20/9/2005, righe 24 parole 319)


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