Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service) - Today May 9 the President of the Pontifical Mission Societies Archbishop Henryk Hoser opened the second part of the Annual General Assembly during which 114 national directors will listen to reports from the 4 General Secretaries of the Pontifical Mission Societies, Propagation of the Faith, St Peter Apostle, Holy Childhood and the Pontifical Missionary Union and discuss distribution of offerings collected among Catholics all over the world through the national PMS offices to meet requests received from mission territories in the past twelve months.
Archbishop Hoser, who thanked those present for their work of animation, prayer and collection of funds for the missions, encouraged them to make the Assembly an Apostolic Upper Room, a school of spirituality and mission, imitating the attitude of the apostles gathered around Mary in the Upper Room awaiting the Holy Spirit. The president of the PMS, who spoke briefly of the activity of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the past year, urged them to imitate the spirit of Pope Benedict XVI at the beginning of his pontificate: “we are all servants in the Lord’s vineyard. Our work will be useful if we realise we are tools in the Lord’s hands”.
On Monday 8 May the participants concelebrated Mass at the Altar of the Chair in St Peter’s Basilica; the sung Creed was an act of communion between all the local Churches and the See of Peter . A great joy for all was the Audience with Pope Benedict XVI who encouraged the national directors to promote the Pontifical Mission Societies in the whole Church (see Fides 8/5/2006). In the afternoon the national directors were taken to visit three institutions funded by the Pontifical Mission Society St Peter Apostle: Foyer Paolo VI a centre for student nuns from mission territories (this year 76 Sisters members of 53 different Institutes from 23 different countries who are completing studies at the Pontifical Urban University; Colleges S. Paolo Apostolo and S. Pietro Apostolo where there are 336 student priests from mission territories.
On Saturday 7 May the assembly approved a new Handbook or Manuale of regulations to replace that of 1964. The text was presented by PMS national director for Ireland Fr. Edward Grimes a member of the ad hoc Commission which worked on the text in recent years. The Manuale is a draft and will be used ad experimentum for three years. It will be published officially when approved by the PMS Supreme Committee. Archbishop Hoser said the Manuale was a “practical operative guide for the Pontifical Mission Societies in harmony with the PMS Statutes with regard to their nature and activity”. (G.R.) (Agenzia Fides 9/5/2006 - Righe 32; Parole 449)
