Bogota (Fides Service) - Fr Antonio Villarino Director of the Colombian Bishops’ Commission for pastoral care of Ethnic groups told Fides about the annual Course for Missionaries Ad Gentes organised by the Bishops’ National Mission Centre in collaboration with the Pontifical Mission Societies in Colombia. The Course aims to prepare, update and present new challenges to new evangelisation to missionaries preparing to be sent to proclaim the Gospel Ad Gentes, in situations of first announcement or in de-Christianised areas or particularly difficult pastoral contexts.
The course for 2005, the 16th of the series, is open to clergy, religious and laity presented by the respective bishops or provincial superiors, preparing to be sent on mission Ad Gentes. The course will be held from June 6 to July 1 at the National Mission Centre, at the Bishops’ Conference head offices. Each day will start with a one hour prayer workshop followed by a conference. After lunch there will be a second conference and the day will close with Mass. The course will be enriched with testimony from missionaries operating in different parts of the world. Experts in missiology will give conferences on the following topics: Ecumenism and the great world religions; Eucharist and Mission; Inculturation of mission today; Mission in the Old and New Testament; Missionary Evangelising Process; new evangelisation; spirituality of mission today; Trinitarian Love source of mission; challenges in mission in the 21st century; structures at the service of mission: Propaganda Fide, PMS, Parish and Mission; Evangelisation of Cultures; Evangelisation of the social and political world; ad intra e ad extra missionary challenges for the Church in Colombia; Mission in the African context; Asia - Missionary witness; mission among the Afro-Americans and Indigenous Peoples in Colombia. For more information see: Misiones@cec.org.co. (RZ) (Agenzia Fides 29/4/2005, righe 23, parole 307)