Bagno: Over 70 WMS volunteers received mission crosses

A nationwide gathering of the Salvator Missionary Volunteer took place in Bagna, Lower Silesia. The culmination of the gathering was the Sunday Mass with the mission message, during which more than 70 volunteers received mission crosses.

In the coming weeks and months, they will travel to 4 continents: Europe, Africa, Asia and South America. The president of the National Bureau of the Catholic Youth Association met with the WMS volunteer community.

The gathering was held at the erstwhile Salvatorian spiritual Seminary in Bagna and the TOTU home – Salvatorian Youth Centre. The event was attended by volunteers preparing for missionary service, WMS leaders and invited guests.

King Stawińska, the president of the National Bureau of the Catholic Youth Association, arrived in Bagna and met with the community of WMS volunteers. As she stressed, both communities combine concern for the formation of young people and their commitment to the mission of the Church.

“The Salvator Missionary Volunteer is simply a group of wonderful people who want to spread good and aid people. This is simply a beautiful evidence of young people who not only go on missions but besides care about their self-development and formation, which lasts all year and not only for mission time. This is besides a large example of the fact that volunteering does not just close to fellow countrymen, but besides opens to people of another culture, color, age or fitness," said Kinga Stawińska, president of KP KSM.

The gathering in Bagna began on Wednesday evening Mass and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. all day opens the daytime and the Eucharist. The program includes conferences, formation workshops, meetings of distant groups, prayer and talks of volunteers preparing to work in mission facilities.

On Thursday, the participants attended the solemn Mass at the church in Bagna, completed by a Eucharistic procession. There were besides meetings of leaders and people liable for media documentation of mission trips. In the evening, volunteers shared the testimonies and expectations of their waiting service.

The spiritual component of the gathering was the conferences of Fr Krzysztof Poros and p. Justyna Liahs. Fr. Grew gave a conference entitled “In Christ!” devoted to individual relation with God as a origin of Christian commitment. Sister Lihs in the conference “The Mystery of Jesus” spoke of recognizing Christ in another man, especially the poor, the suffering and the needy. After the conference, participants continued on night adoration.

The Saturday program included another workshop, a gathering of regional leaders, Mass and “Evening of gratitude”. The culmination of the full gathering was the Sunday Mass with the mission message at 10.15 p.m. During the liturgy, more than 70 volunteers received missionary crosses and a blessing for the time of service.

Volunteers of the WMS will work with children and youth, engage in catechism, educational, care and medical activities, support local pastoralists and paper the lives of missionary communities. Their trips are to be a sign of the solidarity of the Church in Poland with the universal Church.

The Salvator Missionary Volunteer operates at the Polish state of Salvatorians. For years, he has been preparing lay volunteers for short- and long-term service at missions worldwide.