ASIAN MISSION COURSE 2023, CEBU -
PHILIPPINES
Asian Mission Course or IMCA 2023 was held from June 4th to July
29th in Cebu, Philippines. Fr Stephen Dsouza from Infant Jesus
Delegation participated in the course. There were 17 participants
from different countries namely USA, Indonesia, Vietnam, Pakistan,
Philippines, India and Sri Lanka. The participants were of OFM, OFM
Conventuals, OFM Capuchins and TOR. The animators of the programme
were Br Dennis T Tayo OFM, Br Denniel OFM, Br Joel OFM Cap and Br
Uriel OFM Conv.
Franciscans in all novelty, is a missionary Order. Hence the
preparation of the missionaries has long been a priority of the
Order. Twenty years ago, the OFM in Brussels, Belgium started a
mission course that eventually evolved with the OFM Capuchin and
Conventuals, opening its doors to this collaboration. Since year
2000, more than 300 friars have participated in this experience. In
the last 10 years the three orders have dedicated themselves for
working as a team by offering two courses annually. However after a
series of discernment, the Brussels mission course was closed in
2021 and was brought to the different continents as a landmark
evolution towards more contextualized preparations of missionaries.
Hence for the first time an Inter - Obediential Mission Course in
Africa was held in 2022. Now in Asia this landmark event was joined
for the first time by the TOR with 17 missionaries coming from the
four Orders at House of Silence, Cebu - Philippines.
The main goal of the course was to holistically equip the friars
using cognitive, affective and integrative approaches toward a
deepened discernment and commitment to live one’s missionary call,
renewed and strengthened in Franciscan Chrism, in synodality and in
collaboration within Asia and Oceania. With the theme “Sent in Asia
to deepen our missions of proclaiming the Gospel in the spirit of
the Franciscan Jubilee as lesser brothers in synodality” the course
started on the feast of the Holy Trinity on June 4, 2023 with the
mass celebrated by Br Carlos Trovarellli, OFM Conv, Minister
General. In the eight week input sessions, participants were
enlightened about Franciscan Mission life, General Notions of the
Asian Continent, The Basics in Missiology, Mission and inculturation
in Asia and Mary’s presence in Asia.
Mission and Dialogue, Synodality in mission and reconciliation,
mission and Economics, Accounting and evangelical Poverty. New
areopagus for mission in Asia which included challenges as
globalization, migration, multiculturalism, clericalism, abuse,
protection of minors and vulnerable, new communication technologies
and care for creation. Finally, Integration Phase which included
course Assimilation, processing, course evaluation and closing
exercises.
In a nutshell, IMCA 2023 affirmed learned principles and
realizations while offering opportunities to discover new ones.
Apart from the inputs, exposure trips on Saturdays deepened the
week’s input, as participants experienced varied realities and
social action activities for the poor and other sectors, pilgrimage
to churches and shrines. They also met people of other faiths by
visiting the temples, mosques and shared many breath-taking nature
adventures. Provided with a mission journal one was guided “to
journey within one’s heart” as they progressed deeper in long eight
week period.
These inward preparations and self-discovery, daily activities of
attending classes, personal or communal prayers, doing simple house
chores or playing together, in simple exchanges of life’s stories
were all meant to holistically equip and build collaboration and by
becoming a better version of oneself as a man of mission. The batch
name was chosen as ‘Mirror of Grace’, which emphasized on having
received the great mission experience from one another through
sharing; now they are ready to go forward to share the experience to
all. On July 28, 2023 a closing mass was celebrated by Br Lino
Gregorio Redoblado OFM who asked the participants to move forward to
spread the gospel with the rich experience of the course.
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