COLOMBIA
Bishop joins March
for rights of
Colombians
Colombians who live on the border with
Venezuela on September 5 marched in
BRAZIL
USA
Preparation for
World Mission
Sunday 2015 begins
The Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS)
Marriage and
family are being
threatened, Pope
tells Congress
of Brazil on September 17 began
In his speech to the U.S Congress
preparations for the forthcoming World
September 24, Pope Francis said that the
Mission Sunday celebrations by presenting
family is being threatened today like never
World Mission Campaign 2015.
before, and praised American figures,
The campaign aims to awaken the
including Abraham Lincoln and Martin
Christian commitment to the mission of
Luther King, Jr., for their tireless efforts to
the Church in the world.
defend freedom and values.
The Pope condemned the death penalty
defense of the dignity of their compatriots
and the arms trade, calling for their global
expelled and to reaffirm their brotherhood
abolition.
with this country, two weeks after the
“How essential the family has been to
closure of the passage between Santander
the building of this country! And how
(Colombia) and Tachira (Venezuela).
worthy it remains of our support and
According to information sent to Fides,
encouragement!” the Pope told Congress.
September 6, more than 500 people
“Yet I cannot hide my concern for the
marched starting from the historical
family, which is threatened, perhaps as
Temple of Villa del Rosario to the Simon
Bolivar international bridge that unites
never before, from within and without.”
Colombia and Venezuela, a strategic point
Francis also noted the troubling trend of
in the 2,219 km border between the two
nations.
The starting point of the march was very
symbolic, because here the Congress
of Cucuta was set up in 1821, where
Liberator Simon Bolivar and General
Francisco de Paula Santander gave life to
the Constitution of the newly established
Colombia.
The Campaign will be presented at the
headquarters of the PMS in Brasilia,
by Auxiliary Bishop of São Luís and
President of the Episcopal Commission
for Missionary Action and Interecclesial
Cooperation of the CNBB, His Exc. Mgr.
Esmeraldo Barreto de Farias; National
youth deciding not to get married, and
said that at the risk of oversimplifying.we
“Yet this same culture presents others
with so many options that they too are
dissuaded from starting a family,” he
said, alluding to the growing fad of being
‘childless-by-choice.’
Director of the PMS, Father Camilo
Pope Francis is the first Roman Pontiff
Pauletti; Executive Assistant for the
ever to address a joint meeting of the U.S.
The march was also attended by Bishop
missions of the Conference of Religious of
Congress. His visit to the nation’s capitol
Víctor Manuel Ochoa Cadavid, Bishop
Brazil (CRB), Sister Maria de Fatima Kapp.
took place on his third day in the U.S.
of Cúcuta and the mayor of the city,
This year’s theme, “ Z\