Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Manila (Fides Service) - “Exodus: a week of formation for pastoral workers assisting migrants in Asia” is the title of a Seminar scheduled 21 to 27 March in Tagaytay, and the Canossa House of Spirituality. The aim of the event, promoted by the Scalabrini Migration Center in Manila, in cooperation with the Philippines Bishops’ Commission for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples is to highlight and reflect on migration and its consequences in Asia where in the last thirty years migration has been intense and massive within the continent and outwards to the rest of the world.
Presenting the Seminar the Scalabrini Father said that the Church in Asia has met the needs of migrants to the best of its ability: offering religious services in different languages and organising valuable forms of material and administrative assistance for immigrants. But, since 2001, pastoral for migrants has been more qualified: as the Pope said in his Message for Migration Day 2001, this type of pastoral care must become “a means of fulfilling the evangelising mission of the Church today”. In the Message issued for 2003 Migration Day, the Holy Father recalled that the pastoral care of immigrants is a basic expression of evangelical love.
Priests, nuns, brothers and laity will come from all over Asia to Tagaytay to take part in the Seminar and discuss problems and challenges in the pastoral care of migrants and identify solutions.
Reflection will focus on various subjects: migration in Asia today: tendencies, kinds dimensions, consequences; Church teaching: migration and Scripture, elements of migration theology; mission with migrants in Asia: local Churches and the role of the laity; some specific themes for Asia: migration and counselling; assistance for all migrants: how to pressure governments; plans for networking and programming for the future.
Besides listening to conferences given by experts, representatives of NGOs, religious leaders, participants will take part in group-discussion, experience sharing, cinema-forum and cultural activities shared prayer.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 17/2/2004 lines 36 words 371)
