The Sixth American Missionary Congress (CAM6) was held in Puerto Rico, in the Diocese of Ponce, from November 19 to 24, 2024. “America, with the strength of the Spirit, witnesses of Christ!” was the motto that animated the journey and development of the American missionary congress. The objective is: “To promote with new ardor the Ad Gentes mission of the Church, walking together listening to the Spirit, to be witnesses of faith in Jesus Christ in the reality of our peoples and to the ends of the earth.”
Five Redemptorist missionaries were present at the congress: Monsignor Francisco Ceballos from Colombia, Fr. Román Ibarra from Bolivia, Fr. Antonio Niemiec from Brazil, Fr. Edgar Luis Torres from Puerto Rico, and Fr. César Báez from Paraguay. CAM6 has led us to deepen our missionary vocation in the action of the Holy Spirit to the ends of the earth.
Some questions were proposed to motivate missionary dialogue and reflections:
- How is reality challenging the mission and how is the mission challenging reality?
- How can we inspire a new zeal for the mission ad gentes from the local Churches of the Continent?
- How to do mission today?
CAM6 was an event of the Spirit in which the Church of America reflected on its missionary nature and the impetus it must give to continue bringing the Gospel to the ends of the earth. The Missio Ad Gentes is still relevant; being a missionary ad gentes is a specific vocation and ministry. A missionary ministry ad gentes recognized and supported by ecclesiastical authorities is necessary to continue responding to the reality of the mission ad gentes.
Twenty-two delegations participated, with around 1,300 missionaries from all countries of America and other continents. The congress was held at the facilities of the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico. The missionaries were hosted in the parishes of the different towns to share with the parish community and families.
America, with the strength of the Spirit, witnesses of Christ!
Fr. César Báez, CSsR.
National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies of Paraguay
