Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Napoli (Agenzia Fides) - From 11 to 15 February at Pacognano Don Bosco (Naples), there will be the 4th Forum of CIMI (Conferenza Istituti Missionari Italiani), on the theme "Prophecy of Ad gentes today in Italy. Missionary institutes reflect". The Forum is attended by 120 participants mostly members of missionary families in Italy as well as some lay people. Opening the work CIMI president, father Alberto Pelucchi, explained the sense of the Forum, called to reflect on the new missionary scenarios in a situation of multi-religiosity even in traditionally Christian countries like Italy, carefully examining the challenges of this change. On 12 February the speakers were Fr Gian Paolo Salvini, SJ, editor of La Civiltà Cattolica, and Prof. Aluisi Tosolini, school executive and docent at the Catholic University of Piacenza, who reflected on “Discerning the today of God in Europe. Mission in an epoch of change”. Tracing a panoramic picture of Europe, Fr. Salvini underlined three points: react to prevailing pessimism; not be frightened by figures and statistics; broaden our horizons speaking once again of eschatology. Tosolini instead , starting from a letter of Saint Francis Xavier, began by saying that God acts in our weakness and so the present day is an opportunity for a radical revision of the Christian and missionary project. In the afternoon of 12 February two testimonials were presented: Prof. Paolo Branca, of the Catholic University of Milan, spoke about the condition of young Muslims present in Italian cities as important points of reference for practising a new style of dialogue; Bishop Domenico Sigalini of Palestrina, dwelt on cooperation of “Priests, religious and Christians of other Churches”. The work on 13 February opened with a panel discussion on the theme "the charisma of founders as criteria of discernment for these new times. A lasting intuition to actualise also today ". Comboni Father Fidel Gonzales, docent in Church History at the Pontifical Gregorian and Urban Universities, gave a passionate fresco of the rebirth of the missionary movement in the 19th century, dwelling especially on the theme of the specific grace of the founders and the relation between charisma and cultural context. Fr John B. Kwofie, first assistant general of the Spiritans, came a call to the centrality of the African continent as a present day challenge to the different missionary charisma: questions such as promotion of good governance, formation of the laity, appeal for reconciliation, justice and peace, must be part of the new method of mission in Africa. Lastly Sr Geneviève, of the Little Sisters of Jesus, spoke about her thirty years of experience among fair people, with the goal of valorising their sense of celebration, welcome of the poor and free entertainment. In the afternoon 10 work groups discussed the themes presented. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 14/2/2008; righe 33, parole 474)
