Ponce (Porto Rico). From 19 to 24 November 2024, at Juan Pachín Vicéns Auditorium in Ponce, the main city of the southern part of the island of Puerto Rico, hosts the 6th American Missionary Congress (CAM6) which has as its theme, “America, with the power of the Spirit, witnesses of Christ!”
On the island of Puerto Rico, the smallest of the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean, there are three Communities of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians belonging to San José Province (ANT), which includes Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic.
Since 2019, the Puerto Rican Church has been responsible for organizing the event, which brings together missionaries from all over America to reflect on the mission ad gentes of the Church.
“Each American Missionary Congress has made a specific contribution. We, from Puerto Rico, in an attitude of prayer and reflection, in the preparatory phase made a proposal for missiological reflection to the Continent, with the aim of working for a ‘renewed missionary impulse’ on the part of the local Churches of America, to be witnesses of faith in Jesus Christ, with the power of the Holy Spirit, to the ends of the earth,” Father José Orlando Camacho Torres, coordinator of CAM6, explained to AgenSir.
The Educating Communities of the three FMA Houses joined in this preparation in different ways.
In October 2023, Mary Help of Christians Schools of Santurce and St. John Baptist of Orocovis received the Prayer for the American Missionary Congress and the torch that has gone on pilgrimage to all the Catholic schools of Puerto Rico, motivating students to the prayer of intercession.
The Educating Community of St. John Bosco House in Aguadilla, a center for children and youth at risk, received formation on the American Missionary Congress and the students learned the hymn composed for the occasion.
The FMA works in Puerto Rico are very sensitive to solidarity with the missions. Every year, Mary Help of Christians School of Santurce organizes a great artistic evening called “Missionary Journey” in which dances from different Countries of the world are presented. The event brings together around a thousand people, who contribute to the initiative by purchasing tickets.
St. John the Baptist School in Orocovis organizes a missionary week with various games and special sales during recreation. Both schools raise funds in all groups every Tuesday of the school year for the missions. The proceeds go to the Pontifical Mission Societies or the FMA Institute. Children and young people of the Saint John Bosco House in Aguadilla are encouraged to come out of themselves through prayer and organizing activities of solidarity.
It is a great joy for all the communities to be present at this large ecclesial event, contributing to missionary reflection starting from their own Salesian identity.
Regarding the direct participation in the American Missionary Congress, with more than 1200 participants, Sister Maritza Ortiz and Sister Yolisa Rosario, from the Community of Aguadilla; and Sister Magda Marrero, from the Community of Orocovis, are part of the delegations of their respective dioceses registered for the event.
Also present at CAM 6 were Sister Ruth del Pilar Mora, General Councilor for the Missions of the FMA Institute and Sister Anna Maria Geuna, Sector Collaborator.
ESTAMOS UNIDAS A AMERICA EN MISION.
Qué hermosa Diosidencia que este magno evento se realuce en la Isla del Encanto, como se suele identificar a Puerto Rico!
Nos alegramos unidas a las Hermanas de las tres comunidades que participan y acogen a otras FMA venidas de otras inspectorías.
Estamos con ustedes! Gracias por compartir tanta riqueza eclesial!
Reavivemos nuestro espíritu misionero!
Igual yo quiero agradecer tanta presencia salesiana en el Congreso Misionero. Nuestra pasión misionera sigue viva como en los Orígenes y hoy mas que nunca es necesario abrir caminos en medio de los niños, los jóvenes y enamorarlos del Evangelio y del testimonio de la Palabra.