By Debora Donnini – Porto San Giorgio
A spirit of joy and expectation fills the “Tent of Gathering” in Porto San Giorgio, in Italy’s central Marche region, where around 800 priests are taking part in a retreat organised by the Neocatechumenal Way.
Most of the participants were formed in the 37 diocesan missionary seminaries Redemptoris Mater across North, Central and South America—from Vancouver to Mexico City, and as far as Belém, whose mission is specifically focused on evangelisation in the Amazon region.
On Friday evening, 19 June, the priests will attend a performance of Kiko Argüello’s symphonic work in the square before the Basilica of the Holy House of Loreto. Beginning on Saturday, they will then set out in pairs for a four-day missionary experience across Italy, proclaiming the Gospel without carrying any money.
According to Msgr Renato Grasselli, rector of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Newark, this missionary outreach is a profoundly important experience of faith, one that many of the priests have already lived during their formation.
Msgr Grasselli explained that 130 priests formed at the Newark seminary have been ordained to date. Of these, 45 per cent are serving in missionary assignments throughout the United States and in other parts of the world, while the remainder carry out their ministry within their respective archdioceses.
He also expressed his joy at the prospect that, upon completing their evangelisation mission, the priests from the Americas will participate in the Pope’s General Audience next Wednesday.
Reflecting on the significance of the initiative, Msgr Grasselli described the missionary experience as a concrete encounter with Divine Providence. Going out with nothing, he said, allows priests to discover in a tangible way how God accompanies and sustains those who place their trust in Him while proclaiming the Gospel.
