Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Dhaka (Agenzia Fides) - It is necessary to listen to God's call and encourage young people not to be afraid, following the steps of Jesus in life as priests or consecrated persons: this is what Father Rodon Robert Hadima, at the head of the Episcopal Commission for Evangelization and National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in Bangladesh, who asked parents and guardians "not to be afraid and to let their children experience religious life". In a speech published in recent days in the national weekly "Pratibeshi", in Bengali, the National Director of the PMS wrote a message to the parents: "Let us pray to increase the workers of the harvest of the Kingdom of God. The world is suffering from a pandemic and many wars are underway. We observe death, illness, poverty, unemployment, a precarious social, political and economic situation in many nations. It is our responsibility to cultivate vocations to the consecrated life, to cultivate the hope of a better world. We need prayer. Parents and teachers, in teaching children and young people, it is your responsibility to educate them to follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so that, according to the grace of God, the ardent desire to join religious life may blossom in their hearts".
The National Director invites young people who feel a call from God in their hearts to enter seminaries and houses of formation to begin the journey to become priests or nuns. And he writes: "I appeal to parents to teach their children Christian values at home that help increase the desire to follow Christ in religious life". Furthermore, on behalf of Pope Francis and the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Bangladesh, Father Hadima expresses to all the faithful "sincere gratitude and appreciation to all of you for the donations, prayers, sacrifices and financial support for the well-being and formation of future priests, nuns, consecrated religious", concludes the message.
In Bangladesh, a Muslim country with around 400,000 Catholics, a total of 12 young Catholics have been ordained as deacons so far in 2022 and more than 15 girls took their vows in the first few months of the year. (FC) (Agenzia Fides,11/6/2022)
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