Rome (Fides Service) - “No less than 49% of the world’s Catholics live in America. Like all local Churches, the Church in Peru is called to open to mission ad gentes. This is why Italian missionaries must guarantee their contribution towards its universality and to promote cooperation between the two Churches.” This was part of a Message issued at the end of a meeting of Italian missionaries in Peru organised jointly by the Peruvian Bishops’ Conference and the Italian Bishops’ Conference held 14 - 17 February 2005 in Santa Rosa, Lima.
The meeting was attended by 92 participants including Fidei Donum priests and men and women religious from 31 different organisations, institutes and movements. The aim of the meeting was to compare experience of evangelisation in Peru and in Italy and identify possible areas of exchange and co-operation. The situation in the Church in Peru was illustrated by: Bishop Antonio Santarsiero of Huacho, Father Carlos Castillo docent in theology in Lima, Dott. Corche Lafoschitana expert of Caritas Peru, Bishop Lino Panizza of Carabayllo, Lima, Prof. Jose Luis Guadalupe, sociologist. The present day context of evangelisation in Italy was presented by Archbishop Andrea Mugione of Crotone, secretary of the Italian Bishops’ Commission for Evangelisation, Mgr. Giuseppe Andreozzi director of the Italian Bishops’ office for missionary cooperation among Churches and national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Italy and the vice national director Mgr Giuseppe Pellegrini. Rev. Flavio Saleri director Centro Unitario Missionario in Verona gave daily meditations on the calling of the Apostles (Mk 3, 13-15) and the witness offered by assassinated Archbishop Oscar Romero and murdered Ms Annalena Tonelli. Also present Papal Nuncio in Peru Archbishop Rino Passigato and Italian Ambassador to Peru Rino Passigato.
“Listening to our hosting Church we saw that she lives her evangelising experience among people still deeply religious - the Italian missionaries write in their closing message -, but who, in a situation of poverty affecting about 54%, experience more than one causes of serious instability at the political, social, cultural and religious level… Called to maintain her rich tradition of sending missionaries, our Italy sees the growth of new forum for evangelisation: the presence of “new people”, encounter with other religions, formation to political activity, the challenge of communications”.
Comparison of missionary experience brought to light the “gifts” of both Churches: sense of community, liturgical vivacity, involvement of the laity, being among the people and sharing the situation of the poor as an experience of God, political commitment, affective dimension of religious life, family pastoral. To serve the Church in Peru the Church in Italy can help in the following ways: itineraries of formation and catechism; strategies of pastoral orientation and programming; experience of shared and integrated pastoral work; proposals of spirituality, voluntary work, associations; sense of free self giving. “New paths of communion and co-operation among the Churches can open also thanks to the pastoral work in ecclesial communities in Italy undertaken by no small number of Peruvians and brief visits to Peru of Italian priests, seminarians and lay person”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 28/2/2005 - Righe 41; Parole 552)