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Building Cultural Bridges: Inculturation Workshop in Paraguay for New SVDs and SSpS
Pascual Semaun, SVD
The workshop, coordinated by Fr. Henryk Gąska, SVD, aims to accompany new missionaries in their integration into the Latin American reality through intercultural dialogue, SVD spirituality, and pastoral commitment with local communities.
Formation with Missionary Identity
The program offered an intense experience of spiritual, theological, pastoral, and cultural formation. Eight major themes were addressed, ranging from the identity of the Divine Word missionary to the current challenges of evangelization: dialogue with indigenous cultures, Latin American spirituality, mission in the face of new religious movements, the role of youth, the family, and the media, among others.
Key moments included visits to the Sanctuary of Caacupé and the indigenous community of Cerro Poty in Lambaré, providing direct contact with popular religiosity and indigenous worldviews—essential for truly inculturated evangelization.
Shared Vocation, Diverse Cultures
Fr. Cornelio Boli Ujan, SVD, Provincial of Paraguay, welcomed the participants with words of encouragement, highlighting the importance of living the mission with humility and openness:
“This workshop is a call to live the mission with an open heart, learning from and respecting the cultures that welcome us.”
The participants came from Indonesia, India, the Philippines, Brazil, Chile, and Ecuador—forming a mosaic of cultures united by the same missionary vocation. The encounter was not only a space for learning but also a community experience marked by prayer, fraternal dialogue, and the sharing of concrete experiences from different mission contexts.
Testimony of a Participant
One of the new missionaries shared:
“The neomissionary encounter was, for me, a transformative experience that marked a before and after in my faith journey. It was a time of grace, a kairos in which words stopped being just words and became lived experiences, feelings, and shared projects.”
“I remember the first night, when we gathered as missionaries from different parts of Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil. Despite our cultural differences, there was something that united us: the mission. We all shared the same passion for renewing the transmission of faith and the need to find an authentic language that could touch the hearts of young people.”
“What touched me most was the closeness with indigenous peoples. I understood that mission is not only about speaking to them about God but also learning from their worldview. The concept of Buen Vivir resonated in me in a way I cannot describe in words.”
“What marked me the most, however, was the call to be a humble, close, and serving Church. Our guides were clear: ‘Let us leave behind colonial and paternalistic attitudes. Let us be a Church that walks with the people.’ This phrase shook me. I leave this encounter determined to be a missionary who not only speaks about faith but lives it and serves it in others.”
One Missionary Family
Inspired by the legacy of St. Arnold Janssen and St. Joseph Freinademetz, the workshop reaffirmed for participants the conviction that mission is, above all, love, humility, and incarnate presence in the life of the people. Trinitarian spirituality was the guiding thread throughout the experience, reminding them that just as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one, missionaries are also called to be one family in diversity.
Closing and Missionary Sending
The workshop concluded with a closing Eucharistic celebration presided over by Fr. Cornelio Boli Ujan, SVD, Provincial of Paraguay, who encouraged participants to continue their journey with hope, fidelity, and a spirit of service. It was a moment of thanksgiving for the kairos experienced and a symbolic sending forth to the communities where each missionary will continue sowing life and the Gospel.
The Inculturation Workshop in Paraguay is thus affirmed as a key moment in the formation of new missionaries in the Southern Cone, promoting an evangelization that is committed, profoundly human, and open to dialogue with peoples—a true kairos for mission today.
