ASIA/INDONESIA - Missionary animation in Indonesia, in a context of ethnic, cultural and religious pluralism: national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies

Monday, 15 May 2006

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Jakarta (Fides Service) - In Indonesia a mainly Muslim country with a territory of 17,000 Islands marked by ethnic, cultural and religious pluralism Missionary animation calls for qualified animators able to proclaim the Gospel with courage and competence.
“Missionary animation all over the vast national territory is fundamental”, said national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Indonesia Divine Word missionary Fr. Patrick Pa. “We must keep the flame of mission burning, help the mission spirit to penetrate and grow in the local so that every community can live it with the heart tending to sharing the Gospel, in simplicity of dialogue and a spirit of service, but keeping evangelisation as the guiding star of all pastoral activity”.
The work of the PMS in Indonesia focuses on increasing missionary awareness. “We have an annual meeting for people working in missionary animation, priests, religious men and women and many lay people. The laity play an important part on this vast territory. We also work with seminaries, visit dioceses and work with diocesan mission animators. We have a special programme for mission educators of children, attended by 50 animators at a time. The contents of our animation includes theological questions, church documents and pastoral challenges such as dialogue which is fundamental here in Indonesia, as in the other countries of Asia”.
The PMS director explains: “Our aim is to form animators who are responsible, aware of their duties. We see the fruits of our work: our animators are ever more aware of mission and its challenges; there is also growing mission awareness, sense of responsibility and commitment, among the faithful”.
Among the annual appointments to prepare, Fr Patrick recalls, “World Mission Sunday, Holy Childhood Day and Day of Prayer for Vocations. Thanks to awareness building by Pontifical Mission Societies staff people pray more, also for the Church which suffers, and give more. Moreover we have the full support of the Catholic Bishops of Indonesia who express appreciation for our work and we put everything in the hands of the Lord, confiding in his help”. (Agenzia Fides 15/5/2006 righe 27 parole 274)