Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Guatemala City (Fides Service) – The Central Commission for CAM 2 has prepared a working paper for distribution to dioceses, parishes, associations as a guide for preparing contributions from particular Churches all over America through their delegates. It is also a means of increasing mission awareness and mission responsibility in the particular Churches.
The working paper says the main objective of the Congress is to “animate the life of particular Churches in America so that from their evangelising experience they may shoulder responsibility for concrete commitment to mission ad gentes.”. The document says that the Holy Spirit will render every part of the Working Paper a path of preparation for every local Church on the continent which will take part in the missionary event in Guatemala City. The purpose is to offer not teaching but guidance for creative reflection in every Church. Priests, religious and laity are studying the working paper so that the contributions carried by the delegates are not just personal opinions but rather a reflection of decisions taken in each particular Church.
The working paper has 9 parts as follows::
1: Encounter with the Living Christ: conversion, communion, solidarity.
2: Spirituality of the People of God from and for mission.
3: Families, young people and children agents of mission.
4: Missione, the life of the parish community.
5: Particular Chiesa responsible for universal mission
6: Instances of missionary animation and formation in particular Churches.
7: New paths for proclaiming the Gospel of Life.
8: Missionary activity and the challenge of globalisation, culture, migration.
9:Missionary activity and the challenge of fundamentalist groups and new religious movements.
Each part has five sections
1. “Objective”: brief description of finalities
2. “Listening to the Christian message”: theological or doctrinal part of the matter to help reflection and offer criteria for evaluating the challenges the world puts to the Church today.
3. “confronting our life with the message ”: challenges for the Churches in America to be faced in the light of the Christian message.
4. “What must we do with the good news we have received?”: questions to prompt reflection and answers.
5. “Let us pray together to the Lord through the intercession of Mary”: examples of prayers to be said during meetings of reflection. (RG) (Fides Service 25/9/2003; lines 40 - words 460)
