Churches in Puglia meet to discuss missionary work and youth engagement

The regional missionary meeting in Molfetta brought together 120 participants to discuss how Christian communities can renew missionary commitment, involve young people, and build relationships with those on the margins. Attendees included a delegation from the Archdiocese of Foggia-Bovino representing 19 diocesan missionary centers, pastoral offices, missionary institutes, religious men and women, and the SUAM.

Archbishop Giuseppe Satriano, President of the Puglia Episcopal Conference and Archbishop of Bari-Bitonto, introduced the meeting. Father Federico Marino of the Archdiocese of Taranto presented a summary of preparatory documents collected from churches across Puglia. The meeting was organized during the centenary year of World Mission Sunday to facilitate listening and discussion regarding community experiences and future prospects.

The collected reports and discussions revealed significant initiatives alongside challenges such as fragmented activities, limited participation, and difficulty maintaining project continuity. Participants discussed the need to make missionary work a shared daily commitment in parishes by overcoming the isolation of individual groups and increasing collaboration between different pastoral areas.