EUROPE/POLAND - Archdiocese of Czestochowa's Missionary Congress dedicated to John Paul II on the 30th anniversary of his visit to Poland

Czestochowa (Agenzia Fides) – In honor of the 30th anniversary of Pope John Paul II's first apostolic journey to Poland (June 2-10, 1979), the Pontifical Mission Societies of the Archdiocese of Czestochowa organized a Missionary Congress dedicated to the Servant of God, Pope John Paul II. The Congress took place in the esplanade in front of the Cathedral of the Holy Family of Nazareth on June 5, during the so-called “Papal Triduum,” organized by the Archdiocese of Czestochowa and Archbishop Stanislaw Nowak, June 4-6 in Czestochowa.
The Congress was attended by all the staff of the Pontifical Mission Societies of the Archdiocese, along with the Archdiocesan Director of the PMS, Fr. Jacek Gancarek and Monsignor Jan Piotrowski, National Director of the PMS. There were also several missionaries present, along with several groups of youth and children missionaries, volunteers, group leaders, Rosary groups, and PMS groups from various parishes and schools in the Archdiocese.
The prayer was led by Archbishop Nowak, who reminded the youth that “the missionary vocation is very important for the Church today. Today's world needs authentic witnesses, priests with strength and goodness, with an authentic missionary vocation. The Church also needs lay missionaries. John Paul II had the heart of a missionary. He was an authentic missionary.” (MF/SL) (Agenzia Fides 08/06/2009)