Zambia: Diocese of Solwezi holds School of Missionary Animation training.

Zambia’s Catholic Diocese of Solwezi has implored participants in the just ended School of Missionary Animation (SOMA - I) training programme to realise that as animators, they are sent to promote missionary awareness in the life of the Church.

Vatican News English Africa Service.

The Diocesan Pontifical Mission Societies for Solwezi (PMS) Director Fr. Wilbroad Musonda has called on newly trained lay mission animators to embrace prayer in their apostolate.

“Your participation in the School of Missionary Animation (SOMA - I) is a great step towards promoting missionary awareness, prayer and sacrifice within the Catholic Diocese of Solwezi,” said Fr. Musonda.

Making children evangelisers of other children

Fr. Musonda was speaking during the Holy Mass, which saw fifty laypersons graduate as missionary animators in a ceremony held at St. Kizito’s Parish, last Sunday. The Diocesan PMS Director explained the importance of fostering a spirit of prayer and sacrifice in the context of evangelisation. In particular, he addressed leaders of the Holy Childhood Association. He urged them to cultivate in children under their care a spirit of generosity.

“Make of the children evangelisers to fellow children; children who pray for other children. Instil in them a sense of children helping other children around the world," Fr. Musonda emphasised.

Fr. Musonda further reminded the graduands that they were being commissioned in line with the Great Commission of Jesus found in the Gospel of St. Matthew Chapter 28:19: “Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And look, I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.”

Empowered to evangelise

The local PMS Director said the four-day training programme, which brought together mainly Holy Childhood animators, aimed to empower leaders with theoretical and practical skills. The animators were, therefore, given spiritual and theological insights which would help them effectively carry out their apostolate.

The School of Missionary Animation (SOMA - I) training programme participants were drawn from all parts of the diocese. These include Kifubwa, Solwezi, Kasempa, Mumbezhi Ntambu and Zambezi Deaneries.

Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here