The Mass for the opening of the course was celebrated at the Three Fountains, the place where the martyrdom of St Paul occurred. During the Mass, Fr Guillermo Basañes, Councillor for the Missions, drew attention to the figure of the Apostle of the Gentiles as a model for every missionary. In his passion to proclaim the Gospel to all he stopped at nothing, even to the point of giving his life.
After an introduction on the dynamics and methodology of the course, during the past week the eighteen departing missionaries reflected on some anthropological and cultural issues, necessary for a better understanding of the dynamics of the cultures they will encounter and to help in their inculturation.
According to the Course Coordinator, Fr Alfred Maravilla, “this course for new missionaries is meant to be primarily a formative experience - not just acquiring information or new knowledge or ideas, but fostering the correct values and attitudes for a missionary."
The distribution of missionaries per continent is as follows: Africa is sending 6 missionaries and receiving 4; America is sending 3 and receiving 5; Asia is sending 7 and receiving 2; Europe is sending 2 and receiving 5; Oceania will receive 2.
