Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Next Thursday, the Pontifical Missionary Union (PUM), on the anniversary of its foundation (October 31, 1916), proposes an online event of international scope that marks the official beginning of a three-year journey of activities, in view of the already imminent Jubilee and also of some significant anniversaries planned for 2026. These are the centenary of the first World Mission Day, the 110th anniversary of the foundation of the Pontifical Missionary Union (PUM) and the 25th anniversary of the beatification of Blessed Paolo Manna, founder of PUM (November 4, 2001).
The PUM2024 International Online Conference will take place on the Zoom digital platform from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Rome time) and is addressed to everyone, but in particular to the national and diocesan directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS), to the national secretaries of PUM and to all those involved in the national and diocesan PMS.
PUM, one of the four Pontifical Mission Societies (together with the Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Pontifical Society of the Holy Childhood and the Pontifical Society of St. Peter the Apostle) is concerned precisely with missionary formation, information and awareness-raising: this is why it was called by Saint Paul VI “the soul of the other Pontifical Mission Societies”. The online conference scheduled for Thursday is intended as a concrete expression of this, and is proposed as a worldwide event on missionary animation, taking as a reference the motto of the founder of PUM, Blessed Paolo Manna: “The whole Church for the whole world”. The conference, which will be held in English, will have simultaneous translation into other languages and will feature the voices of local realities in an international horizon. The Conference will be opened and moderated by Father Anh Nhue Nguyen OFM Conv, Secretary General of PUM, creator of the initiative who will give space in the first part to three interventions made by the directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies of Spain (Father José María Calderón Castro), Poland (Father Maciej Będziński) and Austria (Father Karl Wallner Ocist). In the second part, entitled “Voices from the Continents”, space will be given to the testimonies of the continental coordinators of the PMS. Father Pontian Kawesa will participate for English-speaking Africa, Father Jean Noel Gossou for French-speaking Africa, Father Jafet A. Petrequin Ugalde for America, Father Pedige Basil R. Fernando for Asia and Father Anthony Chantry for Europe. The PUM2024 INTERNATIONAL ONLINE CONFERENCE will conclude with a guided debate on the themes arising from the reports. (EG) (Agenzia Fides, 29/10/2024)
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