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| Participants from across the U.S. – laity, ordained, and religious, young adults – joined national office and some diocesan mission office representatives, as well as other national organizations, diocesan offices, religious orders and parishes for the U.S. inaugural MISSIO Congress in July 2017 in preparation for CAM V. |
AMERICA/UNITED STATES
MISSIO Congress: The Gospel Is Joy –
The Americas on Mission
New York (Agenzia Fides) – From September 5 to 7, 2017, the
Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States convened its inaugural
missionary congress in Orlando, Florida, in preparation for the next CAM
(Congreso Americano Misionero) to take place July 10 to 14, 2018 in Santa
Cruz, Bolivia. This marks the first time in the U.S. for such a gathering,
which is outlined in the official documents as a key phase in preparing the
delegation which will represent the United States. The meeting was blessed with
a diversity of participants from across the entire country, which included
laity, ordained, and religious, as well as a good representation of young
adults. Joining national office and some diocesan mission office representatives
were other national organizations, diocesan offices, religious orders and
parishes. Welcomed also were participants from the Antilles!
“MISSIO Congress was truly an experience of encounter, solidarity, formation and celebration as missionary disciples, compañeros en fe,” noted Oblate Father Andrew Small, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States. “This Congress was an opportunity to forge ever new bonds of solidarity on behalf of the Gospel.”
“MISSIO Congress was truly an experience of encounter, solidarity, formation and celebration as missionary disciples, compañeros en fe,” noted Oblate Father Andrew Small, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States. “This Congress was an opportunity to forge ever new bonds of solidarity on behalf of the Gospel.”
Using the Pastoral Circle methodology, participants
thoughtfully and prayerfully explored forum topics:
- Discovering
and Teaching the Mission Identity of Our Schools
- Mission
with and for the Poor
- A
New Dialogue: Missionary Visions in Contemporary Culture
- The
Laborers and the Harvest Section I: Ordained Leadership in a Missionary
Church
- The
Laborers and the Harvest Section II: Laity in a Missionary Church
- Family
on Mission Domestically and Abroad
- The
Mission of Receiving: Immigration and Migration
 |
| U.S. Diocesan Mission Offices participated in the three-day meeting; shown here, Father R. Stephen Vellenga, Director, Diocese of Cleveland, Ohio |
General session speakers included Dr. Hoffman Ospino, Boston
College, and Mr. Jeff Runyan, FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University
Students). Mr. Paul Jarzembowski, USCCB, led a general session which featured
three young adults. Each shared their personal missionary testimony and then
engaged in a facilitated dialogue.
U.S. National Office staff are now preparing summaries, reports and final video which will be shared with the CAM V organizing committee and Congress attendees.
U.S. National Office staff are now preparing summaries, reports and final video which will be shared with the CAM V organizing committee and Congress attendees.
(Monica Ann Yehle, Director of Communications and Outreach, Editor, MISSION)