EUROPE/POLAND - Youth Day and the Jubilee of the Pontifical Missionary Union in Poland

Thursday, 24 September 2015 pontifical mission societies  

Czestochowa (Agenzia Fides) - Diocesan Directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS), in charge of the missions of the religious Congregations, lay mission animators of Poland gathered from September 15 to 17 in the diocesan Seminary of Czestochowa for a meeting that brought together a hundred people. The meeting was presided by Fr. Tomasz Atlas, National Director of the PMS in Poland.
According to information sent to Agenzia Fides, Fr. Atlas opened the meeting by explaining the purpose of the meeting: "a joint reflection on how to use the charismas of the Pontifical Mission Societies to make all the structures of the Church missionary". Fr. Grzegorz Suchodolski, in charge of the office of World Youth Day, to be held in Poland in 2016, pointed out that this event represents a great challenge for the PMS in Poland, with the aim of building a space for dialogue for young people with Christ and exchange of gifts.
Special guest of the meeting was father Ryszard Szmydki, OMI, Secretary General of the Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith, who illustrated the charisma of the Pontifical Mission Societies, emphasizing that they are a gift to the Church, a privileged instrument to build its missionary spirit, because they help to realize that every baptized person is a missionary.
The National Secretaries of the PMS then illustrated the program for next year. The Jubilee for the 100th anniversary of the Pontifical Missionary Union was announced, with the encouragement to rediscover the charism of Blessed Paolo Manna. In addition to organizing "a retreat with Blessed Paolo Manna", a proposal was made to ask the Polish Bishops' Conference to announce the Year of the Pontifical Missionary Union.
During the conference there were moments of prayer in support of the missionary work of the Church. His Exc. Mgr. Jerzy Mazur, President of the Episcopal Commission for the Missions presided over the Eucharistic celebration in the chapel of Our Lady of Jasna Gora, while His Exc. Mgr. Kazimierz Gorny, Bishop Emeritus of Rzeszów delivered the homily. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 24/09/2015)


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