Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides News Agency) – The third session of the online missionary formation sessions for the French-speaking world, dedicated to Pope Leo XIV's Message for World Mission Day 2026, will take place on Friday, July 10, at 12:30 p.m. (Rome time).
Organized through the collaboration between the International Secretariat of the Pontifical Missionary Union (PUM) and the National Directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in French-speaking Africa, the study session began on May 6 with an introductory presentation by the PUM's Secretary General, Fr. Dinh Anh Nhue Nguyen, OFM Conv., who placed Pope Leo XIV's message within the general context of mission today.
"This message is a clear appeal to the Church to rediscover her missionary nature—not simply as one activity among many, but as her deepest identity," Fr. Nguyen said. "It invites every baptized person to recognize themselves as one who is sent, every community to become missionary, and the whole Church to move forward with confidence into this 'new missionary era.'"
The second session, held on June 12, focused on the theme "One in Christ: A Spiritual and Missionary Reflection." Fr. Lawrence Iwuamadi, a priest of the Diocese of Owerri, Nigeria, and Dean and Professor of Ecumenical Biblical Hermeneutics at the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey, Switzerland, joined Fr. Nguyen in leading the discussion.
"Being one in Christ is not a slogan, but a vocation. It is the Church's identity, her credibility and her mission," Fr. Iwuamadi said in his concluding remarks. "The world will not believe our message of reconciliation unless it sees reconciliation among us."
The third online meeting, as usual scheduled from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Rome time), will focus on the question: "United in mission: How can we live and promote the Holy Father's concrete indications?"
Joining Fr. Dinh Anh Nhue Nguyen in the discussion will be Archbishop Nicolas Lhernould of Tunis, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Tunisia.
The series will conclude on September 11 with a conference entitled "The Mission of Love: Following Christ and the Saints." The programme is already active in English (the second session is scheduled for July 14) and is expected to be offered in other languages. (EG) (Fides News Agency, 9/7/2026)
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