Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Madrid (Agenzia Fides) - "If we want to tell what we have seen and heard, who better than young people to help us do it? Many of them have had the good fortune to share some time with the missionaries and want to share with us what they have experienced". This was said in an interview with Agenzia Fides by Father José María Calderón, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in Spain, speaking of the initiatives related to the campaign for World Mission Day 2021.
"Tell what you have seen and heard" - explains Father José - is the motto chosen by the National Direction of the PMS for the month of October. In order to bring the faithful closer to the mission, we have prepared a video that collects the testimony of five young people who tell what they saw and what they heard from the missionaries when they had the opportunity to learn about their work. This year - he continues - we have also taken care of the launch of the new version of the page www.domund.es and the second edition of the "Virtual solidarity race" of "Domund", which is the name by which World Missionary Day is known in Spain.
In the country there are many initiatives organized by the PMS on the occasion of the missionary month, and all include a topic that becomes the leitmotif of the planned activities. This is the origin of the contents that each diocesan director chooses for the four weeks of the month, with missionary rosaries and prayers for the Missions offered for missionary animation. "At a national level - says the National Director - we have been organizing what we have baptized as 'Discovered Domund' for several years: an initiative that aims to make people aware of the missionary life of the Church. This year - he continues - we have chosen the ecclesiastical province of Toledo, where we have concentrated various activities: a missionary exhibition, a meeting of young people, a prayer vigil for consecrated life, a musical evening. Furthermore, for the second year, we have organized the virtual solidarity race of Domund, to promote the missionary spirit. The people who participate make a donation, but at the same time have fun".
The activities that continue throughout the missionary month have a crucial moment on Sunday, October 24, with the celebration of World Mission Sunday. The involvement of many faithful is expected where donations intended for the support of missionaries and the sending of all catechists, groups, associations, movements of Catholic action on mission, are collected.
"The witness of the missionaries is very important - says Father Calderon - they are witnesses of God's work in the places where they work and evangelize. In Spain - he concludes - we have many missionaries who are witnesses of Christ in the mission territories and here, in our country, are witnesses of what the Lord is doing among the people to whom they were destined". (ES) (Agenzia Fides, 23/10/2021)
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