Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lagos (Fides Service)- The Pontifical Mission Societies (Missio Nigeria) has just concluded its mission animation programme October 4 - 15, 2005. The programme started with a five-day Reflection/Workshop for all the PMS Diocesan Directors and the workers at the National Office in Nigeria at the Jesuit Retreat Centre, Benin-City, Edo State, Nigeria. The programme was aimed at empowering the participants with the necessary competence and zeal for moving the entire Dioceses into the state of mission, and to unite the directors as a task force for mobilization of all Catholics to put Nigeria in a state of mission.
The strategy was to deepen the missionary spirituality of each Director which must be based on openness to the Holy Spirit, love of Christ, the Church and the people of God, and appreciative of the need for holiness of life as “fundamental presupposition and an irreplaceable condition” for any missionary animation. It has the following objectives: To develop a deep life of personal prayer; to seek to identify with the salvific mission of Christ and its universal orientation; to internalize the aims and objective of the PMS and be committed to their full implementation in the Dioceses; to highlight the missionary dimension of liturgical celebrations, especially the Sunday Eucharist with its capacity to transform the community; to further the sense of being the “missionary of missionaries” among priests, religious and laity within the diocese.
The moderators of the exercise, Rev. Fr. Dominic Totora S.J., and his team with the PMS National Director, Msgr. Hypolite Adigwe, were able to guide the participants through private prayers and sharing of the fruits of reflection.
The second phase of the programme was the Mission Club Seminar organized for the Leaders of Mission Clubs in Seminaries and Houses of Formation. The exercise took place at the Madonna Renewal Centre, Nkpor, Onitsha Archdiocese. Msgr. H. Adigwe reminded them of their mandatory call to mission. He helped them to understand how they would fulfill this through the mission clubs in their various institutions.
Sr. M. Benett Ezeokoli, IHM Immaculate Heart of Mary explained the activities of the Holy Childhood Association in Nigeria and how the members of the Mission Clubs could be of great help in teaching and directing the Children, especially during apostolic experiences. Sr. M. Lucella Ukaegbu, IHM spoke on the role of the media in Mission Clubs. She advised the members to make efficient and effective use of the media to gather helpful information and to disseminate same to the outside world.
The Mission Club is a new initiative designed to assist the Seminarians and Religious in Formation to internalize the universal dimension of the missionary outlook and help them to seek ways of living it out within the context proper to their Institutes. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 20/10/2005 righe 40 parole 446)
