AMERICA/UNITED STATES - Support and awareness of the missions at the center of the national meeting of the Pontifical Mission Societies

Tuesday, 14 June 2022 pontifical mission societies   missionary animation   evangelization   missionary institutes   missionaries  

New York (Agenzia Fides) - The meeting of the diocesan directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in the United States will begin tomorrow, Wednesday June 15, in San Diego, California. The meeting, which will end on June 17, is inspired by the anniversaries celebrated this year (see Fides 3/5/2022) and aims to recall the past in order to look with greater momentum and awareness at the future challenges that await missions. Archbishop Dal Toso, president of the Pontifical Mission Societies, will speak over the three days: he will address diocesan directors and office staff on June 16 and preside over the closing Eucharistic celebration the following day. The meeting will also be the occasion for a moment of conviviality with the American Bishops, who are in San Diego for their spiritual retreat. On the last day, a video message from Cardinal Tagle recorded especially for the closing of the meeting will be shown, while a moment of celebration of anniversaries will be organized for the directors and their staff. "We come together to honor our history, to redirect our path and to put in place a new plan", explained US National Director Msgr. Kieran E. Harrington. Following his appointment as National Director in May 2021, Msgr. Harrington pledged to gather information and rethink a new direction. Concretely, this translated into the launch of a global survey of diocesan mission offices, more than 20 hours of “listening sessions”, a review of procedures and processes and five regional workshops. The program for this three-day event, which opens tomorrow, is based on what emerged from the seminar discussions. Topics on the agenda include the role of the diocesan director, national office resources and support, budget management and expenses, regional networking, organizational model and missionary animation. The meeting's opening liturgy, June 15, will be held at California's oldest mission, Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá. Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre of Louisville will celebrate the opening mass. On June 16, Bishop John O. Barres, Bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Center, which serves as liaison between the Pontifical Mission Societies and the American Episcopal Conference, will celebrate Mass. (EG) (Agenzia Fides, 14/6/2022)


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