Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Warsaw (Agenzia Fides) – The Church in Poland has been celebrating various important missionary events in these first several weeks of 2009, as Agenzia Fides has learned from PMS National Director Monsignor Jan Piotrowski.
On January 17, there was a celebration in the Cathedral for the military ordinary of Warsaw, to close the Jubilee Year celebration for 150 years of the Holy Childhood Association in Poland (1858-2008). After a brief encounter in the Church of the Pauline Fathers, the nearly 350 children present at the event went to the Cathedral for a Mass presided by Bishop Jozef Zawitkowski, Auxiliary of the Diocese of Lowicz. The members of the Holy Childhood Association from the Dioceses of Warsaw, Plock, and Warszawa-Praga thanked God for this eventful year in Poland, especially for the National Congress held in Krakow-Lagiewaniki this past month of June. The Missionary Formation Center in Warsaw held a special Mass on February 14, 2009 in honor of the missionary saints and patrons of the Residence – Saints Cyril and Methodius, Apostles to the Slavic Peoples. The celebration was presided by Archbishop Henryk Hoser, SAC, Bishop of the Diocese of Warszawa-Praga, where the center is located. In his homily, he recalled the main challenges faced by those sent to the missions today. In the 25 years of the Center's existence (1984-2009), there have been over 770 people, including fidei donum priests, religious, and laity who have gone to carry out missionary services to the young Churches in difference continents, especially Africa, Latin America, Oceania, and Asia. There are now 31 people preparing to be sent to the missions.
The most recent event was the celebration held by the PMS National Council on January 16 and 17 in Sulejowek, near Warsaw, in the house of the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Spirit (SspS). The first day after the presentation of a pastoral report from the national secretaries of the four societies, National Director Monsignor Jan Piotrowski presented the financial report informing the members of the National Council as to the participation of the Church in Poland in the Universal Solidarity Fund of the PMS. In the second part, Archbishop Henryk Hoser, SAC spoke on the duties of the diocesan directors of the PMS, in light of the guidelines from the “PMS Manual” and the spirituality and missionary activity of Saint Paul. He then presided a Mass for those present. On this day, they also discussed the formation of future missionaries, the role of the Missionary Formation Center and the importance of preparing candidates beforehand, in their native dioceses.
The next day, after the National Secretaries presented reports on the present pastoral activity of the PMS, Missions Professor at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University (UKSW), Dr. Wojciech Kluj, OMI presented a talk on Monsignor W. Zaleski (1852-1925), who worked to promote vocations in Sri Lanka and India, presenting him as a living example for a more dynamic promotion of the “POSPA” that have been present in Poland for 80 years already, but have borne little fruits. “Our duty and desire is to bring about a greater promotion of this work that is so valuable and needed in the Church's life today,” the National Director affirmed.
The second talk was given by Professor Jan Gorski, on the Missionary Formation Center, explaining the ecclesial meaning of the Center and the present challenges in the change of mentality in today's world, the lifestyle of those sent on missions and the people who are evangelized. The encounter was also attended by Monsignor Wiktor Skworc, President of the Missionary Commission of the Polish Bishops' Conference, who offered several pointers on the material. The encounter ended with a Mass celebrated by Monsignor Skworc. The jubilee celebration for the Formation Center will take place on May 6, in Warsaw, featuring a special session on missiology. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 18/2/2009)
