From September 19 to 22 the National Missionary Congress will be held in Madrid, organized by the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) of Spain, in view of the Extraordinary Missionary Month of October 2019.
Pope Francis announced the Extraordinary Missionary Month in order to revive the missionary passion within the Church, the Congress will, therefore, face the reality of the mission from a broad perspective, explains the statement sent to Agenzia Fides. In addition to the participation of expert theologians, Spanish missionary Bishops, representatives of new ecclesial realities, journalists, etc. will participate.
After the inauguration of the Congress by His Exc. Mgr. Francisco Perez, President of the Bishop’s Commission of the Missions, the opening speech will be presented by Mgr. Guy Bognon, Secretary-General of the Pontifical Society of St. Peter the Apostle, on the theme «Baptized and sent: Christian initiation and mission». The round table «Bishops on mission» will follow with the participation of three Bishops who work in the Central African Republic, Ecuador, and Chad. The second day there will be two reports («God Trinity and Mission» and «The current world, scenario of the mission») and a round table with representatives of the new ecclesial realities: Opus Dei, Neocatechumenals, Sant’Egidio Community, Focolare Movement.
Also on Saturday 21, two reports have been scheduled («The local Church is born from mission and lives for the mission» and «Vocation missionary ad gentes and ad vitam») and a round table on «missionaries seen by our society». In the two days, a series of communications will also be presented on various aspects of the mission. On Sunday 22nd the President of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, Cardinal Ricardo Blázquez, will preside over the Eucharistic Concelebration to be broadcast by TVE 2, while the conclusions of the Congress will be edited by the National Director of the PMS, Fr. José Maria Calderon, and of Cardinal Archbishop of Madrid, Carlos Osoro.
