SEMINAR FOR ENGLISH-SPEAKING BISHOPS IN MISSION LANDS

VATICAN CITY, SEP 9, 2003 (VIS) - The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples is hosting a study seminar at the Pontifical College of St. Paul in Rome for English-speaking bishops who have been ordained in the last five years and who are assigned to mission territories.

Participants include 169 bishops (63 from 15 African countries, 88 from 15 nations in Asia, 5 from 5 countries in America and 13 from Papua New Guinea in Oceania) and numerous members of the Roman Curia. The seminar, which began yesterday with a talk by Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, prefect of the congregation, is scheduled to conclude on September 20.

The cardinal spoke of the origin, development and duties of the missionary activity of the Church in general and of the congregation in particular.

The program for coming days includes two conferences daily, and periods set aside for questions, discussions and workshops. Throughout the seminar, special attention will be given to the triple "munus" of a bishop: teaching, sanctifying and governing, focussing on the specific situations of mission territories. Some of the other topics the participants will reflect on include seminary formation, relations with the Roman Curia and with episcopal conferences, social doctrine, ecumenism, charitable work and interreligious dialogue.

The schedule also includes a trip to the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii on September 14, feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. On September 20, following a concelebrated Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, the bishops will have a private audience with Pope John Paul.

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