EUROPE/FRANCE - October Mission Week 14 - 21: an opportunity for every baptised Catholic to give new impulse to prayer and offerings in support of the Church's missionary activity

Paris (Agenzia Fides) - Catholics in France are preparing for 'World Mission Week' 14 - 21 October which culminates on Mission Sunday 21 October. Parishes and church movements all over the country, each according to its own ecclesial duties, are encouraged to contribute in prayers and offerings to help the poorer dioceses in the world. Mission Week is promoted by the national office of the Pontifical Mission Societies in France and the theme this year is “Sharing the Word you have received”. Fides was informed by the PMS national director that for French Catholics "Mission Week is a call and an opportunity to carry on the great tradition of supporting the missions initiated in France by Pauline Jaricot and with personages such as Saint Therese of Lisieux, proclaimed Patroness of Missions 80 years ago”. To mark this 80th anniversary parishes religious institutes, schools, church movements, Holy Childhood groups will be involved in special Masses, prayer meetings, formation, sharing of experience… Material for Mission Week, poster, leaflet for animation, documentation, pedagogical guidelines, agenda. prepared by PMS France is available on the Internet: see http://www.mission.cef.fr/smm (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 4/7/2007; Righe 15, Parole 193)