Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Luanda (Agenzia Fides) - A Meeting for Italian Missionaries in Angola organised by the Italian Bishops’ office for missionary collaboration between Churches and the Angolan Bishops’ Conference closes today. Some 60 missionaries gathered in the capital to discuss cooperation and sharing among Churches and to carry solidarity from the Church in Italy to Italian missionaries at the service of the peoples of Africa. The meeting started on 12 June with a visit by the apostolic nuncio in Angola Archbishop Giovanni Becciu, a welcoming address by Mg. Giuseppe Andreozzi - director general of Missio -, and the presentation of the participants. Archbishop Damiano Franklin of Luanda presented the Church in Angola, from the arrival of the Capuchins in the 16th century down to our day. This was followed by discussion of the most urgent pastoral challenges: youth, family, politics, culture, healthcare, structure of the Church. A university professor from Luanda spoke about religious syncretism in Angola. On Thursday 15 June the participants listened to the voice of the Church in Italy and then in groups discussed collaboration among Churches. Today there will be the presentation of conclusions and final message.
This most recent meeting is part of a series of similar encounters between the Church in Italy and local Churches where Italian missionaries are working. In recent years these meetings have been held in Albania, Lebanon, Philippines Thailand, Argentina, Senegal, Kenya, Guinea Bissau, D. Congo, Peru, Togo. “These meetings have essentially three goals - says Mgr Andreozzi - to organise a meeting of the two Churches, to sustain and promote initiatives to support missionary activity and to share experience of evangelisation. We want our missionaries to feel that we are close to them and that they are sent not only by their respective institutes and congregations but by the Church in Italy which assures them spiritual and material support”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 16/6/2006 - Righe 26; Parole 355)
