From 19 to 25 January 2005, I attended a Young Missiologists' Consultation in Centro Internazionale Animazione Missionaria (CIAM), within the vicinity of the Vatican. It was an event organised by the World Council of Churches, in which some forty young theologians (representing various nationalities, cultures, and theological inclinations) were flown in to discuss certain theological and missiological issues.

Of course, there is much to be said about this trip, and any attempt to exhaustively describe the conversations among the young theologians would be, at best, wanting. And as is to be expected, when people from all sorts of theological inclinations congregate in close proximity, the ensuing results of their discussions can be phenomenal (for better or for worse).

Posted by SK in The Vatican & Rome, Italy at 11:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Centro Internazionale Animazione Missionaria (CIAM), or International Centre for Missionary Animation, located within the Pontifical Urbaniana University. In the background is the Vatican.

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One very impactful occasion that lingered in my consciousness was our visit to the archive that contained archelogical missionary documents that were written many centuries ago. These documents were etched on animal skin. Much of mission history as we know it today has been learned from these documents. For example, we discover that some major wars would not have taken place had some of these letters (now contained in this archive) been discovered early, for they possessed the power to stop those wars. But somehow, those letters were lost along the way and never arrived at their assigned destinations, only to be recovered several centuries later.

The little man on the extreme left (with the Michael Card-type look) is Director of the archive. Throughout our conversation, the Director expressed his most major concern that our generation of Christians - being a cyber generation - may have nothing tangible to be left behind for the subsequent generations. Whilst previous generations left their legacy of literature behind for the enrichment of our generation (which has consequently affirmed our sense of continuity in the faith), our emails (and blogs?) and other electronic documents have no lasting qualities.

I was just reflecting on his concern in relation to this enterprise of blogging, since I have recently decided to join the ranks. Just thinking, just thinking. But I do wonder...with all my electronic confessions, what legacy I am leaving behind for the subsequent generations of brethren in the faith.

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Just outside our meeting room, overlooking St Peter's Square (the Vatican)

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The view from our meeting room window, which explains my difficulty with concentrating on the meeting discussions.

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The Vatican soldiers guarding the entrance to the living quarters, and a cardinal coming out to greet me (I wish!)

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I am unsure about the present Pope, but Pope John Paul II lived in the upper storey, second and third windows from the right. At the time of my visit, he was already frail and ill. But still, he used to stay up late nights (as late as 2 a.m.) to prepare his homilies. His life was truly an offering to the world and for the Lord.

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Long live the gladiators!

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