1178 Missionaries of the Word: far-seeing, far-reaching Filipino plan
austra L asia 1178

Missionaries of the Word: far-seeing, far-reaching Filipino plan

MANILA: 30th June 2005 --  The concept is extraordinarily simple; the vision is exceptionally far-reaching; the planning is substantially in place.  It now requires the fiery breath of the Spirit to inflame new hearts.  "It" is Word Media Ministry or WMM.  Its dreamer, rather too humble to call himself founder, is Fr Salvatore Putzu, already long convinced of the importance, nay,  indispensability of media in evangelisation.  He is well-blooded in the doing, having for many years now conceived and directed a media ministry with its 'flagship' Word and Life.
    As St John Bosco began to gather around him men and women who simply needed to share his convictions to be called his 'sons' or 'daughters', similarly Fr Putzu has gathered around him men and women who share the conviction - equally that of St. John Bosco's - that we need to 'hear, live and share God's Word', and who commit themselves to that hearing, living and sharing.
    These men and women, young, old or anywhere in between, are invited to work in media ministry at one of three levels of commitment: (1) as Friends of the Word (FW) offering external support, technical, financial or in other ways, to Word Media Ministry.  There are many of them, single and married, and they carry out other forms of media advocacy as well. (2) As Auxiliaries of the Word (AW), men, women, married, single, lay, consecrated lay (with private vows) who take a formal pledge to the goals of WMM.  These render part-time volunteer service or full-time remunerated service within the Word and Life project.  There are currently eight of them. They run a weekly radio program based on the Sunday Word with topical catechesis and promote devotion to the Sacred Heart.
    The crowning step is that of (3) Missionaries of the Word (MW); separate male and female branches envisaged for full time consecrated life in community. They would be required to fulfill the normal demands of religious life, the spirit and activities of WMM, all of which would be carried out in the spirit of St. John Bosco.  The syntax/discourse of this paragraph indicates how many of these there are currently!  The overall plan has approval at the level of the Province, in the firm belief that the Lord will demonstrate his approval through a flourishing of vocations.
    While the idea has been conceived and executed in the Filipino context, there is nothing to prevent WMM from generating cells in other parts of the world, with the support of Salesians involved in media ministry.  Who knows, but one day WMM and especially MW could seek and gain membership of the Salesian Family.

VOCABULARY
nay: not only, but also
well-blooded in the doing: the phrase means he has experience, has practised what he preaches.
remunerated: paid
syntax/discourse: 'syntax' is grammar, but 'discourse' is where the real meaning lies - 'envisage', 'would..', hold future implications.
executed: carried out (in this context).
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