A historic meeting of the National and Diocesan Directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in the Nordic countries was held in Iceland from September 20-24. It took place in Stykkishomur, a small fishing village on the west coast of the island nation and was attended by the National Director, Ivan Sovic and all five diocesan directors: April Frigge, - Iceland, Anna Bieniaszewski Sandber – Sweeden, Fr. Quang Minh Nguyen – Denmark, Deacon Sindre-Jacok Bostad – Norway, and Fr. Tri Nguyen – Finland.
Animating the meeting were the Secretary General of the Pontifical Missionary Union, Fr. Dinh Anh Nhue Nguyen, OFM. Conv., and Fr. Tadeusz Jan Nowak, OMI, Secretary General of the Pontifical Mission Society for the Propagation of the Faith. Also participating in the weeklong meeting was the Bishop of Reykjavik, Most Rev. David Bartimej Tencer, O.F.M. Cap.
The Bishop was very kind and welcoming He graciously provided the diocesan directors and guests from the International Secretariats with food and lodging after their arrival and before their departure.
The focus of the meeting was to help the PMS Directors become better acquainted with the nature and charism of the four Pontifical Mission Societies and their role in the life of the universal Church and in every particular (local) Church. There was also a brief presentation of the founder of the Society of the Propagation of the Faith, Blessed Pauline Marie Jaricot, her life, mission and beatification. The meeting was also time for the directors to become better acquainted with each other, to develop a deeper sense of communion and collaboration and a more fervent missionary spirit to carry out missionary animation in their countries more effectively. The positive reactions and words of gratitude expressed by the participants at the end of the meeting was sign that this historic meeting was a success.
Daily celebration of the Eucharist and prayer provided a lively spiritual foundation for the time spent together. Aside from the formal meetings with input, questions, answers and discussions, the participant shared meals together, tasting some typical Icelandic food products and spent some time visiting interesting historic places on the island. One memorable outing was to a Greenland Shark processing plant where the participants tasted some of the cured shark meat. Although rain and clouds are a regular element in Iceland, some of the days were blessed with beautiful sunshine. On the way back to Reykjavik, the participants drove along the south-east coast, admiring its stark and rugged beauty of the island.
The directors are now back in their respective countries ready to engage in mission animation after having acquired a deeper understanding of the Societies and their vital importance to the Church.
A word of thanks is in order to Ivan Sovic, National Director, for this very well organized meeting.
