ARTICLE 6928
Missionaries for all Asia
Fides, Jul 13, 2001. Country: Philippines. Region: Southeast Asia. Type: Journal/Periodical. Used by permission of Fides. All rights to this material are reserved. Materials are not to be distributed to other web locations for retrieval, published in other media, printed for distribution or mirrored at other sites without written permission from the copyright owner(s).
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Topics: Agencies & societies
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Manila (Fides) – "The Filipino faithful are missionaries of Asia" is the theme chosen for Filipino Mission Sunday on July 29, 2001. In a message for the occasion Archbishop Antonio Franco Nuncio, recalled that Pope John Paul II "puts high hopes in Filipino Catholics to be bearers of the Gospel to the lands of their brethren in Asia". For his part Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, president of the Bishops’ Conference, says he is sure the celebration will help to clarify and emphasize ways of mission for lay people: "from proclamation, to dialogue, to witness of life, many are the ways of mission in accordance with the cultural, social and religious context". The objectives of Filipino-Mission Sunday are to keep alive a sense of gratitude for the gift of faith received from missionaries to these lands more than 4000 years ago; to remind Filipino Catholics of their "special vocation to bear witness to the Gospel in the heart of Asia, being up to now the only predominantly Christian nation in Asia; to re-energize everyone’s participation in the missionary thrust of the Philippine Church in their own dioceses, parishes, communities, families etc.; to obtain moral and spiritual support for the Mission Society of the Philippines MSP; to encourage missionary vocations." It was in 1967 that the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines declared that the last Sunday of July each year was to be dedicated to the Mission Society of the Philippines, to encourage moral and financial support from all Filipino Catholics. The Mission Society was established in 1965 to recruit, train, support and send Filipino missionary priests and seminarians to the young Churches in Asia and the Pacific Today the society has 65 priest members, 4 associate members (diocesan priests who joined the MSP for a period of three years) engaged in pastoral work and formation in Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, New Zealand, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Other aspects of the missionary vitality of the Filipino Church were highlighted during the 49th annual assembly of diocesan directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the Philippines in Davao City, June 18-20. Some 47 directors took part, as well as three Bishops of the Episcopal Commission on Missions: Bishop Vicente Manuel, chairman of the commission, Bishop Ireneo Amantillo vice-chairman and Bishop Generoso Camina. The participants listened to various reports on the National Mission Congress held in Cebu last year and on diocesan and regional mission congresses. It was decided that next year, to mark the 50th PMS national assembly, the diocesan director will make a pilgrimage tour to the Holy Land-Assisi-Rome. The final day of the assembly was open to parishioners, communities and religious congregations coming from the diocese of Davao, Digos, Tagu and Mati. There were talks on the theology of mission, mission and interreligious dialogue. The closing Mass was presided by Archbishop Fernando Capalla of Davao archdiocese. (13/7/2001)
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