Bossi to return to RP after New Year, PIME says

Fr. Giancarlo Bossi, the missionary who was abducted in Mindanao by armed men five months ago will return to the Philippines, Gian Battista Zanchi of the Pontificio Instuto Missioni Estere (PIME) said Monday night in a statement posted on the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines Web site. “He has a lot of interviews and meetings here and there," Zanchi, PIME superior general, said in an interview in Rome. Zanchi said Bossi is still recovering from the illness that he got while he was held in captivity. At least 10 men held Bossi on June 10 in Payao, Zambonga Sibugay. The 57-year-old Italian priest was freed unharmed on July 20 following negotiations with the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Zanchi said that despite Bossi’s abduction, PIME’s mission thrusts in the country have not changed. He said PIME missionaries would remain at their posts, including in Mindanao, though his group still considers the region the most dangerous for their missionaries, “for the time being." “We had another problem after Fr. Bossi’s release because we received information another PIME missionary would be kidnapped," he said, adding it was good no kidnapping happened. He said there are 21 PIME missionaries in the Philippines today. One of them, Fr. Luciano Benedetti, who was kidnapped in 1998, is now working with indigenous people in Western Visayas. He described the situation in Mindanao as “very risky" but hastened to add that PIME has already instructed their missionaries to be extra careful and inform their fellow missionaries of their activities outside their parishes and residences. Asked if missionaries received instructions or advisories from both the Italian government and the Holy See, Zanchi said they were simply advised to be “more careful," and immediately inform the Italian government and the Vatican of any developments. Zanchi also appealed to Filipino communities where PIME missionaries serve to “stay close with our priests because they are there to help and serve." He added they were happy to stay and work, no matter how difficult it might be because “it is our mission and we want to carry on our work." - GMANews.TV