The regular meeting of the Conference of Bishops of the World will be held in October 2023. Encouraged by the theme of the Conference of Bishops, “A Church in the Same Path: Communion, Participation and Mission”, the local churches are actively preparing for the convening of the conference. In an interview with the Vatican News Network, Father Pestana from the diocese of Viana, Angola, said: We are fully in line with Pope Francis. In this huge preparation process, we will listen to the voice of the entire church, especially the lay believers. “
(Vatican News Network)The regular meeting of the World Conference of Bishops will be held in October 2023, and local churches around the world have begun preparations in full swing. Viana, Angola is one of the diocese that actively responded to the preparations for the World Conference of Bishops. Vatican News recently interviewed Father Domingos Pestana of the Missionary Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Angola for 17 years and worked in the parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He said: “As soon as we receive the Secretary of the Conference of Bishops Immediately after the long guidance document, a series of meetings with missionaries and all priests of the diocese were launched to discuss the new challenges that the Pope posed to the entire church. We are fully aligned with Pope Francis in this huge preparation process , Listen to the voice of the whole church, especially the lay people.”
Father Pestana described how people are enthusiastic because they have the opportunity to be heard and share the church’s plan. He stated that his diocese intends to “reach the most residents and believers, so that they feel that they are an active and indispensable part of this part of God’s people.”
The missionary in Africa explained that the Viana diocese is located on the outskirts of the capital Luanda and has a large number of residents. People are plagued by many “social problems, such as problems related to lack of work and illness, as well as the new crown virus, Malaria, and other problems that take many lives.” Then, there are new poor people caused by the pandemic. Their families have completely collapsed and can only live with the help of Caritas.”
Father Pestana said that the theme of the next World Conference of Bishops is: “A Church in the Same Way: Communion, Participation, and Mission”, which expresses a huge challenge, that is, “the experience of communion.” He stated that it will be valuable only when everyone experiences participation, because the mission of the church is universal. The Conference of Bishops of the World “listens to the lay faithful and the new ideas of the people of God on all continents. I think it is a great asset for the entire church and the local churches.”
In the end, Father Pestana concluded that it is important to “learn to listen to the voices of people with great vitality in our parish.”
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