VATICAN - STUDY-SEMINAR FOR NEWLY APPOINTED BISHOPS OF ENGLISH-SPEAKING MISSIONARY TERRITORIES OPENS ON MONDAY PROMOTED BY CONGREGATION FOR EVANGELISATION OF PEOPLES

Friday, 5 September 2003

Vatican City (Fides Service) – A Study-Seminar for newly appointed Bishops of English-speaking missionary territories promoted by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples (CEP) opens on Monday, September 8, in Rome. Participants will be 169 Bishops coming from Africa (63 from 15 countries), Asia (88 from 15 countries), America (5 from 5 countries) and Oceania (13 from Papua New Guinea). The countries with the highest number present are Kenya e Nigeria for Africa, India and Korea for Asia, Papua New Guinea for Oceania.
The Seminar, 8-20 September, held at the Pontifical College of S. Paolo, will open with a discourse by Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, on the origin, development and duties of the Missionary Congregation and the missionary activity of the Church. This will be followed by conferences by Archbishop Robert Sarah, CEP Secretary, on the universities and colleges dependent on the Congregation and Father Fernando Galbiati, PIME Secretary General of the Pontifical Missionary Union, on the structures and competencies of the Pontifical Mission Societies.
The intense programme consists of two daily conferences, question time, discussion, work shops. Speakers will include Cardinals Schotte, Wamala, Castrillon Hoyos, Macharski, Silvestrini, Cacciavillan, Kasper, Ratzinger, Szoka, Martinez Somalo, Arinze, Lopez Trujillo; Archbishops Scola, Cordes, Fitzgerald, Nicora; Father Fidel Gonzalez and Mgr Spreafico. Special attention will be given to the three duties of a Bishop “to teach, sanctify and govern” in relation to the situations in mission territories. The participants will also reflect on formation in seminaries, relations with the Roman Curia and Bishops’ Conferences, social doctrine, ecumenism, charitable work, interreligious dialogue, evangelisation and culture, liturgy, family
On Sunday 14 September the Bishops will make a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary in Pompei. On Saturday 20, after Concelebrating the Eucharist in St Peter’s Basilica, the Bishops will have a private audience with Pope John Paul II which will conclude the Seminar. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 5/9/2003; lines 26 - words 331)


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