IRELAND: Formation and missionary animation at the centre of the September meeting with diocesan directors
September is a month of restart, a month of formation for the group of diocesan directors of the Irish Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS), known as Missio Ireland, who took part in the meeting dedicated to them at the Columba Center in Maynooth.
The meeting was animated by the director of Missio Ireland, Fr. Michael Kelly SPS, with Fr. Dinh Anh Nhue Nguyen OFMConv, secretary general of the Pontifical Mission Union, who arrived especially from Rome and addressed several issues in his report starting with the nature of the PMS and their mission. Father Tadeusz Nowak, secretary general of the Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith, also spoke on this topic, and recalled the history of the PMS with reference to their foundress, Blessed Pauline Jaricot. The speakers' words were also interspersed with the viewing of two videos showing the concrete work of the PMS in two young churches in Africa and Asia. “The theme chosen by the Pope for Mission Sunday this year is “Go and invite everyone to the banquet.” There are three aspects to this theme: (a) the banquet; (b) the invitation; and (c) everyone. Using these words in particular, Pope Francis “Go and Invite” redefined what mission is.“Everyone” was asked to go out and invite others to an encounter with God, even in the face of their indifference and rejection. This is the missionary world: all those who are animators are missionaries; all the baptized are missionaries - Father Nguyen explained -. Pope Francis is asking the baptized to be ready to go out again. Pope Francis' dream is for a new missionary movement to be born in the Church. The idea of the missionary movement has always existed but it is new in the sense of a new spirit, a new zeal. The inspiration of the Holy Spirit is needed.” The meeting of diocesan directors also left room for debate and discussion. Father Kelly, in view of World Mission Day, not only outlined the initiatives in the field and the materials prepared but also invited the diocesan directors to each do their part also by devoting time to communicate the event.