Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Czestochowa (Fides Service) - “We hope this meeting will leave the Church in Poland stronger in missionary spirit ready for greater effort for mission ad gentes” said National director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Poland Rev. Jan Piotrowski at the end of the 4th National Meeting of the Pontifical Mission Society held 2 to 4 December at the Shrine of Our Lady of Jasna Gòra at Czestochowa on the theme “Living the faith and communicating it to others” (cfr Redemptoris Missio n.86). About 600 priests, members of religious missionary congregations, seminarians and lay people to part in the meeting organised to mark the 85th anniversary of the Polish branch of the Pontifical Missionary Union.
The meeting started on 2 December with solemn vespers in honour of St Francis Xavier in Jasna Gòra cathedral presided by Fr. Antoni Koszorz SVD one of the main promoters of the PMU in Poland. There followed the inauguration of an exhibition of photographs of Peru by Anna Wantuch, and reports and a film on the activity of Polish missionaries working of the world in three main fields evangelisation, holiness and education. Three missionaries Polish presented testimonials: Sr Miroslawa Saba FMM who works in Congo Brazzaville, seminarian Anthony Erragudi SVD in India and Fr. Krzysztof Biecek OMI in Cameroon.
On Saturday 3 December Rev. Jan Piotrowski welcomed those present and Fr. Dariusz Kisiel, national PMU secretary, spoke on the subject “History, presence, growth, and present activities of the Pontifical Mission Union in Poland”. There followed a talk by Fr. Romeo Ballan MCCJ on two important themes: maturity of faith as a source of missionary commitment and missionary spirituality. At the end of the morning about 60 priests concelebrated Mass to mark the feast day of St Francis Xavier. Conferences in the afternoon focused on the following themes: “Mission education in the seminary” (Fr. Bernard Blonski); “The presence of the PMS in the diocese and in the parish” (Fr. Franciszek Jablonski); “Missionary formation” (Bishop Krzysztof Czermak); “Consecrated persons and mission ad gentes” (Sr Elzabieta Adamia SSPC): “Present needs of Missiology at world level” (Prof. Jan Górski, University of Katowice); “Role of missiology in the life of the Church in Poland” (Prof. Jaroslaw Róznski OMI, University of Warsaw); “Ad gentes decree and Redemptoris missio encyclical” (Prof. Wojciech Kluj OMI). The Meeting closed with a prayer vigil presided by Fr. Jan Wnek, director of the Warsaw Mission Formation Centre. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 7/12/2005, righe 32, parole 426)
