Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - About 99 Bishops are expected to arrive in Rome to take part in a Study Seminar organised by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples which will open with Vespers on 10 September and conclude on 23 September with a special concelebrated Mass at the Tomb of St Peter and an audience with Pope Benedict XVI. The recently appointed bishops come from some of the many mission territories for which the CEP is responsible. The countries are 44: 18 in Africa (39 bishops), 15 Asia (46 bishops), 8 America (11 bishops) 3 Oceania (3 bishops).
The purpose of the Seminar, a regular feature started by the CEP in 1994, is to offer newly appointed Bishops of mission territories an opportunity to come together, to pray together and together reflect on the ministry of the Bishop which can be difficult, particularly in the first few years. Conferences will be given by Cardinals and Bishops with years of experience in the Church. In past editions the speakers included the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.
The Seminar 2006, held at the Pontifical College San Paolo Apostolo, will open with a welcome to the participants followed by the celebration of Vespers on Sunday 10 September. The first conference the following day will be given by Cardinal Ivan Dias Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples CEP who will speak about on the Congregation’s origin, development and responsibilities and some of the difficulties encountered in missionary activity in our day. To follow there will be interventions by CEP secretary Archbishop Robert Sarah, who will speak about the colleges and universities for which the CEP is responsible, and by Archbishop Henryk Hoser, CEP secretary adjunct and president of the Pontifical Mission Societies who will illustrate the structures and task of the PMS.
The daily programme will include two morning conferences followed by question time and discussion and in the afternoon group discussion and sharing reflections. Speakers will include Cardinals: Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez (archbishop Santo Domingo), Alfonso Lopez Trujillo (President Pontifical Council for the Family ), Paul Poupard (President Pontifical Council for Culture and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue), Christoph Schonborn (archbishop of Vienna), Agostino Vallini (Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Segnatura), Carlo Caffarra (archbishop of Bologna), Dario Castrillon Hoyos (prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy), Zenon Grocholewski (prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Educaiton), William Levada (prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith), Javier Lozano Barragan (president of the Pontifical Council for Healthcare Pastoral), Franc Rodé (prefect of the Congregation for institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life), Renato Martino (president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerant Peoples), Attilio Nicora (President of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See); and archbishops and bishops Eterovic, Girotto, Lajolo, Lebulu, Otsuka and Cordes. Mgr Boarotto and Fr. Koonamparampil, officials of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, will explain the work of the Congregation .
Conferences and discussion groups will focus on the three tasks of the Bishop “to teach, to sanctify, to govern”, and more specifically this task in mission territories. Themes will include spirituality, formation, evangelisation, social doctrine, inter-religious dialogue, liturgy, family, healthcare pastoral. On Sunday 17 September the bishops will make a pilgrimage to Assisi. The Seminar will conclude with an audience with Pope Benedict XVI, Saturday 23 September. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 8/9/2006; Righe 46 - Parole 578)
