Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The special November Meeting of the Pontifical Mission Societies opened this morning in Rome with a welcoming address by Cardinal Ivan Dias, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples also president of the Supreme Committee of the Pontifical Mission Societies.
“This is a moment of fraternity, solidarity and concern for the plight of those who live abandoned, without any help” said Archbishop Henryk Hoser, President of the PMS, in his opening discourse to the meeting. “This is an ecclesial event because we are believers, disciples of Christ, announcers of the Good News - Mgr Hoser continued -. We have come together in the name of the Lord, certain of His presence, attentive to the voice of the Holy Spirit and, at the same time, loyal to the Church and her decisions. We are moved by charity which urges us on and hope which guides us. The third characteristic which imposes itself here, is the time to work. Our Meeting in fact is an extension of the work of the Annual General Assembly, especially the part devoted to examining proposals put forward by the General Secretariats with regard to the assignment of subsidies”.
The President of the Pontifical Mission Societies continuing his address, looked with confidence to the future: “The Pontifical Mission Societies are entering a new stage, after the long process to revise the Statutes and annexed texts. It is therefore time to accelerate the proverbial cruising speed, and dedicate ourselves with greater effort to consolidating the PMS at the base, at the level of local Churches and the level of the respective nations. Among the principal tasks I would see the mission and formation of PMS National Directors in mission territories”. After recalling the different stages of the PMS’s decision-making cycle with regard to the assignment of subsidies, the Archbishop concluded: “I am certain the Special Meeting 2006 will be an opportunity to reaffirm our unity of prayer, intention and heart immersed in Christ’s Love for his Church”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 8/11/2006, righe 25, parole 337)
