EUROPE/POLAND - Numerous activities in missionary October, with the theme: “The disciple of Jesus is the missionary of hope.”

Warsaw (Agenzia Fides) – Starting in September, various different events have been organized in Poland for missionary animation, says National Director of the Pontifical Missionary Societies (PMS) in Poland, Jan Piotrowski. On September 12, there was the inauguration of the new academic year at the Missionary Formation Center in Warsaw, attended by future missionaries from Poland (a total of 32 people: 19 diocesan priests, 5 religious, 7 religious, and a lay woman). The act was presided by the Auxiliary Bishop Adam Szal of Przeymyśl, member of the Bishops’ Mission Committee. This is now the 25th consecutive year of the formation course at the center. Over the years, the Center has formed over 800 pastoral agents.
There was also a celebration on September 21-23 in Niepokalanów, for the national encounter for the PMS and other heads of missions entities, such as the Bishops’ Missions Committee and the heads of masculine and feminine congregations. The theme for the workshops was “Be my imitators...” and focused on the Year of Saint Paul, especially on Saint Paul’s missionary spirit. Among the speakers in the congress was Father Anastasio Gil Garcia, subdirector of the PMS in Spain, who gave two talks and spoke on the commitment of the Church in Spain to promoting indigenous vocations. According to Monsignor Jan, the Society of St. Peter the Apostle will celebrate its 80th anniversary in the country, in 2009 (the Society has existed within the Church for 120 years), “however it is in need of renovation and a more serious commitment on the part of the Church in our country.” During the Congress, the national secretaries of the 4 Missionary Societies presented the materials for animation, especially during the month of October. “Our encounter was enriched with abundant opportunities for common prayer and Masses presided by Bishop Wojciech Polak, Auxiliary Bishop of Gniezno and Fr. Pascual Garasoma, Combonian of the Democratic Republic of Congo.” “During the encounter, a special effort has been made to motivate all those delegates present, in promoting the missionary spirit in their particular Churches and communities.”
As to the World Missions Day and the month of October, according to Monsignor Jan, in Polonia the theme will be “The disciple of Jesus is a missionary of hope.” The patrons of this missionary month in Poland are: Blessed Ceferino Jiménez Malla, Saint Josefina Bakhita, Blessed Maria Teresa Ledóchowska, and Saint Teresa del Niño Jesús. The PMS are preparing abundant materials, including a DVD which has been sent to all the dioceses, which presents the story of Cardinal Adam Kozlowiecki (1911-2007), who was a Polish Jesuit missionary in Zambia for 61 years. He was the first metropolitan Bishop of Lusaka and also served 15 years as the National Director of the PMS in that country. In his Diocese of origin, Sandomierz, a missionary center is being formed. Over the course of the month, several activities are being organized, especially the Encounter for Children with Archbishop Henryk Hoser, SAC, in the Archdiocese of Warsaw-Praga, on October 26.
On October 14, there is a press conference scheduled to spread awareness among the faithful in Poland as to the challenges of the mission in the spirit of the Holy Father’s message, which addresses the need for cooperation on the part of all in being missionaries and clearly depicts the role of the PMS in the evangelization of the world today.
In addition, Monsignor Jan says that he and a delegation from the Diocese of Tarnow with its Bishop were present in the Republic of Congo-Brazzaville, on the 35th anniversary of Fidei Donum in the Diocese, as well as for the 10th anniversary of the murder of Fr. Jan Czuba (1959-1998) in the mission at Loulombo. The commemorative ceremonies took place in Loulombo on September 28, with Bishop Louis Portela of Kinkala and in Brazzaville, with its Archbishop Anatol Milandou, Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Andres Caracosa Cosa, Monsignor Wiktor Skworc, and 25 Congolese, Polish, and French priests. The ceremony took place in the parish of the Risen Christ of the Divine Mercy in Brazzaville. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 10/10/2008)