Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Manizales (Agenzia Fides) - The Pontifical Mission Societies PMS in Colombia and the National Mission Centre continue to promote initiatives to intensify ad gentes mission awareness among seminarians, PMS national director D. Héctor Luís Valencia informed Fides. One such initiative was 5th National Mission Meeting held 24 - 27 June on the theme Missionary Disciples to Communicate the Life of God. Some 136 seminarians from 38 of the 55 seminaries in the country attended the meeting coordinated by the rector and the Deacons Group of the archdiocese's major seminary. The seminarians, who came from 48 different dioceses, were accompanied by 5 diocesan priests.
The purpose of the meeting was to encourage seminarians to be Disciples and Missionaries of Christ the Good Shepherd following the recent 5th General Conference of the Council of Bishops' Conferences of Latin America and the Caribbean in order to live their formation with greater boldness and to serve as apostles with a universal heart.
The themes for reflection and discussion were inspired by the recent Fidei Donum Congress and culminated with a panel discussion on Mission ad gentes and testimony from 3 missionary priests: 2 diocesan, missionaries in Bangladesh and in Cuba, and 1 Consolata missionary on mission in Africa. The seminarians reflected on the importance of mission groups in seminaries, on mission at home in Colombia and the missionary guidelines of the CELAM 5 in Aparecida.
Daily Masses during the four day meeting were presided by the Bishops of the Ecclesiastical province of Manizales. The Meeting closed with adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the Seminary College and a concelebration of Mass in the Cathedral. The next National Mission Meeting for Seminarians in 2009 will be hosted by the Bishop Isaías Duarte Cancino Seminary in the diocese of Malaga-Soatá which will accommodate about 150 seminarians. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 10/7/2007; righe 24, parole 322)
