Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Czestochowa (Agenzia Fides) – Since 1900, Jasna Gora (Czestochowa) has celebrated a Day of Prayer for the Missions on a date near the feast on Saint Francis Xavier, Patron of the Missions. Agenzia Fides learned of this tradition from Msgr. Jan Piotrowski, National Director of the PMS in Poland. This year, the act was attended by over 500 people and took place on Saturday, December 6 (First Saturday in Advent) with the theme: “That they may have life and have it to the full” (Jn 10:10).
After the welcoming address given by Msgr. Piotrowski, the first talk was on “The missionary face of Saint Paul,” given by Fr. Piotr Labuda, a young Biblical scholar from Tarnow. Then there was a Mass celebrated in the Basilica of Jasna Gora, presided by Fr. Piotr Boraca, National Secretary of the Pontifical Missionary Union in Poland. The homily was given by the National Director of the PMS. Concelebrating were the future missionaries from the Center for Missionary Formation in Warsaw, in addition to all the priests in attendance. In the afternoon, there was a multimedia presentation on the PMS, followed by a talk by Fr. Dariusz Pielak, SVD, Biblical scholar from Moscow (Russia), on “The role of the Word of God in the life of the Church.”
The second part of the encounter featured a prayer vigil, Msgr. Jan explained. It opened with a presentation given by Fr. Piotr Boraca and Fr. Dariusz Pielak on the PMU and how missionary activity is sustained by the Word of God. Finally, in the Chapel of the Miraculous Image of the Black Madonna, there was a moment of prayer led by Msgr. Jan, a Rosary prepared by religious sisters, and a presentation on Saint Paul, according to the Acts of the Apostles, prepared by seminarians from the Major Seminary of Swidnica.
A pastoral exchange between Churches was made possible by the visit of Auxiliary Bishop Antoni Dzieminado of Minsk (Belarus). “His homily during the Mass in the afternoon allowed us to better understand the challenges of the Church in our own country, in terms of the mission 'ad gentes' and the new evangelization. The vigil concluded with an act of consecration to the Virgin Mary. It could be said that this missionary event has been like a hopeful glimpse that has inspired us in our own missionary commitment,” the National Director of the PMS said.
In addition to this activity, this December 15 there will be a press conference to present the “Kolędnicy Misyny” (Christmas activity) for the children of Papua New Guinea. The PMS will begin this activity on December 26. Thus they have prepared and distributed material, texts, CDs, and posters for all the dioceses, which will help prepare the children for this event. Although this Christmas activity for children has been held since 1993 in Poland, it has still not been promoted on a large scale in all the dioceses, which is why the PMS is seeking to give it greater attention, with the goal of benefiting not only the children receiving but also those participating in the activity, in addition to the group leaders and families. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 11/12/2008)
