Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Brasilia (Agenzia Fides) - On Monday, Sept. 22, the Pontifical Mission Societies of Brazil (PMS) presented, in a press conference, the materials prepared for the Missionary Campaign of the missionary month of October 2014, whose theme is "Mission to liberate" that echoes the tragedy of human trafficking (see Fides 23/07/2014). The note sent to Fides informs that the press conference, held at the headquarters of the PMS in Brasilia, was attended by His Exc. Mgr. Sergio Arthur Braschi, Bishop of Ponta Grossa, Parana, President of the Episcopal Commission for Missionary Action of the Brazilian Catholic Bishops' Conference (CNBB); Father Camilo Pauletti, National Director of the PMS; Sister Irene Lopes, a consultant of the Episcopal Commission for the Amazon of the CNBB.
In his speech, Mgr. Braschi spoke of the presence of missionaries, religious men and women, priests, lay people and young people who work with many victims of human trafficking in its various forms, and stressed that "these are the slaves of our time". Father Camilo Pauletti explained the dynamics of the distribution of subsidies collected in 276 dioceses and prelature of the country and this year's campaign, highlighting the possibility to download material for the animation of the PMS in Brazil from the site. He finally spoke of the importance of solidarity and of everyone’s contribution to the Universal Solidarity Fund to support mission projects around the world.
Sister Irene Lopes spoke about the presence of missionaries in the Amazon and their unique and decisive work. "Waking the missionary consciousness was the first task of the Commission for the Amazon of the CNBB and PMS in recent years - said the nun - but in 2014 we took this concrete commitment to combat human trafficking because unfortunately it is happening in this area of the Amazon". Sister Irene explained that "human trafficking is an old phenomenon in the area, which has deep roots and is related to the labor market that, in the name of profit, sees everything as a commodity. One cannot combat human trafficking without combatting poverty and socio-economic and cultural inequality".
"There are Bishops, religious and lay people threatened with death only because they are in favor of freedom and human dignity", said Sister Irene, remembering that in this state of Brazil there are Bishops and religious who receive police protection simply to be able to pray. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 24/09/2014)
