MSI Lay Associates of Hong Kong on Pilgrimage to Italy

On the twentieth anniversary of the Lay MSI of Hong Kong, the group of lay people in Hong Kong who share the missionary charism with us Missionaries of the Immaculate, organized a pilgrimage to Italy, in the footsteps of the founders and the historical places linked to the charism. It was an opportunity to meet and share their journey with the lay groups present in Italy.

In themeetings sharing, they presented their activities carried out in these twenty years: assistance to the disabled in the family homes of the Society of Fu Hong (Fu Hong Society), where Sr. Sandra Covini, leader of the lay group, also provides her service. Moreover, missionary animation in the parishes, collaborations with the diocese and the parishes to which they belong as ministers of the Eucharist and catechists.

In the family homes, people with disabilities are organized into groups, like in a small family that relies on reference persons who act as father and mother. Tom, a member of the MSI Lay Group, is a father to one of these groups. He goes to the family home in the evening after work, sleeps there and goes to work the next day. Periodically, together with the parishioners, they animate the missionary rosary in the parishes and offer their testimony as MSI Lay People, sharing how to be missionaries in Hong Kong.

In Hong Kong there are many spiritual pillars (lay people, men and women, animated by missionary passion, commit themselves to support spiritually, with prayer and the offering of daily sacrifices, all the missionaries, both men and women and all the evangelization activities that we carry out), who pray for the Missionaries of the Immaculate and for the missions. A member of the group is responsible for periodically communicating to them the spiritual needs of the institute and of the missionaries who need it most. Some members have moved from the spiritual pillars to the lay group to share the missionary spirit more actively.

The meeting with the other lay groups present in Italy has strengthened their sense of belonging to the missionary family of the MSI. Among the MSI lay people of Pozzuoli they really felt at home, their joy has encouraged them. The sharing of the MSI Lay Associates of Monza has inspired them very much for the activities they carry out: experiences in the missions where the MSI are present and collaboration in the management of distant adoptions. It was an opportunity for everyone to renew their enthusiasm and reinvigorate their missionary commitment, to discover the beauty of diversity, not only cultural, but also in the way of living the charism.

For some, it is not their first pilgrimage to Italy. In comparison with past experiences, they recognized that they are more mature as a group and this has allowed them to share more deeply and to build stronger bonds with the Italian groups.

For us Missionaries of the Immaculate, who hosted them for a few days, it was also an opportunity for joyful and fruitful sharing of the charism. We admired with amazement the commitment and missionary passion of our lay people who, despite their many work commitments, manage to offer their time and life for the mission.