Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Valdivia (Agenzia Fides) - The Chilean diocese of Valdivia is living a special year, Diocesan Year of Mission 2006 Fides was informed by Ms Karin Retting secretary of the diocesan pastoral office. The mission has the slogan “Jesus Christ our hope” and the aim is to announce Christ in places of everyday life offering a path of Christian initiation and to encourage the whole diocese to assume mission as the principle pastoral activity for 2006. The Diocesan Mission is the culmination of a three year path of preparation following Pastoral Guidelines 2002-2006. "The aim of the guidelines - said Karin Retting - was to put us on a clearly missionary path and encourage us to be a Church which carries a message of hope for all Valdivia". The guidelines consisted of a pastoral itinerary on a different theme each year: 2002 conversion, 2003 communion, 2004 solidarity and 2005 -2006: Mission Year.
The Diocesan Mission 2006 has developed over three years: 2005 pre-mission, 2006 mission and 2007 post-mission. The purpose of the year of pre-mission was to increase missionary awareness in the diocese and prepare the faithful for a mission in various sectors, with missionaries in every community who decide where the mission is needed. The purpose of the post-mission year will be to reap the fruits sown by the Spirit, assess experience and plan pastoral activity for 2008-2011. The Year of Mission started in January and February with little missions in various sectors, and continued in March and April with mission formation courses. On 29 April more than 300 operators were sent on mission in a ceremony presided by the local Bishop Ignacio Ducasse Medina, who urged them to live this time with new methods new expressions and new ardour. Missionary activity will continue until the end of October and in November there will be a final Mission Meeting.
The organisers say the Mission 2006 will be an 'environment mission ', in work places, and places of social and civil aggregation schools, institutes, public and private offices, markets, public service institutions, hospitals, social organisations.... each parish has been asked to indicate at least five different areas for mission. The mission consists in offering an itinerary of initiation to the Christian life which develops in seven laps in the work areas. "If we succeed - the organisers say - the mission will help people live more deeply their faith which may have gone to sleep and needs to be revitalised with a personal meeting and communion, with Jesus Christ to start a path of permanent conversion. Other practising faithful will be encouraged to continue with new impulse and discover the vital bond with frequent participation in the sacraments and the life of the Church. For still others it will be a call to a Christian religious experience". (RG) (Agenzia Fides 31/5/2006; righe 39, parole 562)
