Youth from Fulda in mission abroadThe diocese of Fulda is planning a new volunteer service called “Social and missionary volunteer service abroad” (Fsmda) for youth aged 18-28. The project, coordinated by the Universal Church and the new evangelization office of the General Vicarage of the Episcopate, in cooperation with the diocesan office for the youth was presented in the past few days. Volunteers will be asked language skills, expertise in intercultural communication and social responsibility which will be needed for the implementation of aid-aid projects in recipient Countries and as food for thought in development policies to be undertaken in Germany. This of course is rooted in mission and evangelization. The person in charge of the project is Thomas Bretz who in the past 10 years collaborated in missionary services in 15 countries including Uganda. “The concrete possibilities of intervention concern boarding schools, nursery schools, health centres, primary and secondary education institutions, managed by each parish in the framework of the pastoral care of the youth”, pointed out Sturmius Schneider from the office for Universal Church. “I was twenty when for the first time I spent a few months in Africa”, Bretz said. This “radically changed my ideas on development policies, on the Universal Church and on universal mission. I can only but agree with Cardinal Lehamnn who said that the contribution given to evangelization in Germany through the relationship with local Churches, of Africa for example, should not be underestimated”.
