Between 4 and 10 July in Brasilia there was the I National Missionary Congress for Seminarians attended by various Bishops from different Regions of the country, 10 formation personnel and over 150 seminarians.

Its purpose was to study and to take up the universal missionary dimension of the Christian and priestly vocation.

Those taking part, following their analysis of the situation, came to the conclusion that there is still along way to go to achieve in the Universal, Latin-American and Caribbean Church, the gift of a real missionary zeal. (Document of Aparecida, N° 548).

It was recognised that in some seminaries the profound significance of the missionary is present and appreciated but that in other institutes the subject of mission does not receive the attention due to it.

Inspired by the Document of the V Latin-American Bishops’ Conference of Aparecida in 2007, the Congress committed itself to change the Church according to the will of God today, starting with the church in Brazil. There was also a commitment to improve the area of relationships, creating a genuine community between staff and students, united for the benefit of the primary and specific vocation of the Church: the mission at the service of the Kingdom of God.

Aware of the need to be formed for the mission, the Bishops present, the formation personnel and the seminarians were asked to develop a formation which addressed the mission. It was recognised that now is the time to invest in the missionary vocation the fruits of which will come from those takng part in the I National Missionary  Congress for Seminarians

From Brasilia the various participants returned to their tasks with a renewed missionary commitment to be put into practice especially by the setting up of  organisations which foster the mission in the houses of formazion, by the formation of a Missionary Council of Seminaries (COMISE) and developing a Missionary Formation for Seminarians (FORMISE).

Source: www.infoans.org - 20 July 2010