Documents of the Third General Conference of Latin American Bishops, Puebla (1979): 2941 (368).127. Given in Rome, at St. Peter's, on December 7, the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Conciliar Decree Ad Gentes, in the year 1990, the thirteenth of my Pontificate. cit., 855ff; Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi, 70-73: loc. It is in fact these "works of charity" that reveal the soul of all missionary activity: love, which has been and remains the driving force of mission, and is also "the sole criterion for judging what is to be done or not done, changed or not changed. Address to the members of the Symposium of the Council of the European Episcopal Conferences, October 11, 1985: AAS 78 (1986), 178-189.62. Encyclical Letter Dominum et Vivificantem, 54: loc. Here we are speaking of a great and lengthy process, in which it is hard to identify the precise stage at which missionary activity properly so-called comes to an end and is replaced by pastoral activity. the Church addresses people with full respect for their freedom.64 Her mission does not restrict freedom but rather promotes it. "143 The example and activity of women who through virginity are consecrated to love of God and neighbor, especially the very poor, are an indispensable evangelical sign among those peoples and cultures where women still have far to go on the way toward human promotion and liberation. In this book I have tried to categorize and present the major themes that Jesus emphasized over and over to His disciples and to others who listened to His teachings. Therefore, "strengthened by the presence of Christ, the Church journeys through time toward the consummation of the ages and goes to meet the Lord who comes. This paper is trying to focus on a few aspects on the figure of the Disciple of Christ in the Gospel of St. Mark. How can we forget the important role played by women: their work in the family, in schools, in political, social and cultural life, and especially their teaching of Christian doctrine? Nevertheless, in this "new springtime" of Christianity there is an undeniable negative tendency, and the present document is meant to help overcome it. Today the Church must face other challenges and push forward to new frontiers, both in the initial mission ad gentes and in the new evangelization of those peoples who have already heard Christ proclaimed. Religious and social upheaval makes it difficult to apply in practice certain ecclesial distinctions and categories to which we have become accustomed. The solemnity of Pentecost - the beginning of the Church's mission - is celebrated in some communities as a "Day of Suffering for the Missions. This new life is a gift from God, and people are asked to accept and develop it, if they wish to realize the fullness of their vocation in conformity to Christ. Jn 14:6). "56 Other great obstacles to the Church's missionary work include past and present divisions among Christians,57 dechristianization within Christian countries, the decrease of vocations to the apostolate, and the counterwitness of believers and Christian communities failing to follow the model of Christ in their lives. When we consider this immense portion of humanity which is loved by the Father and for whom he sent his Son, the urgency of the Church's mission is obvious. They help missionaries and follow their work with interest. Of course, the missionary service of the diocesan priest must conform to certain criteria and conditioning. Cf. Loving the Church and Humanity As Jesus Did. Apostolic Letter Maximum Illud: loc. It is demanded by deep respect for everything that has been brought about in human beings by the Spirit who blows where he wills.103 Through dialogue, the Church seeks to uncover the "seeds of the Word,"104 a "ray of that truth which enlightens all men'';105 these are found in individuals and in the religious traditions of mankind. These play an important role in making known the life of the universal Church and in voicing the experiences of missionaries and of the local churches in which they work. 80. Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi, 16: loc. "Missionary cooperation" is the expression used to describe the sharing by communities and individual Christians in this right and duty. also Encyclical Epistle Slavorum Apostoli, 21-22; loc. He does not fail to make himself present in many ways, not only to individuals but also to entire peoples through their spiritual riches, of which their religions are the main and essential expression, even when they contain "gaps, insufficiencies and errors. How are these converted Gentiles to live their faith in Jesus? The fact that there is a diversity of activities in the Church's one mission is not intrinsic to that mission, but arises from the variety of circumstances in which that mission is carried out. Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, Chapter IV, 23-27.129. They pray for the missions and missionary vocations. I have traveled all over the world in order "to proclaim the Gospel, to 'strengthen the brothers' in the faith, to console the Church, to meet people. Conversion means accepting, by a personal decision, the saving sovereignty of Christ and becoming his disciple. Certainly, every convert is a gift to the Church and represents a serious responsibility for her, not only because converts have to be prepared for Baptism through the catechumenate and then be guided by religious instruction, but also because - especially in the case of adults-such converts bring with them a kind of new energy, an enthusiasm for the faith, and a desire to see the Gospel lived out in the Church. To the congregation responsible for missionary activity it falls "to direct and coordinate throughout the world the work of evangelizing peoples and of missionary cooperation, with due regard for the competence of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. Today there are many millions of refugees in the world and their number is constantly increasing. 11. And how will this story of Jesus be of any encouragement to Christians facing persecution? May they have the courage to reply as Isaiah did: "Here am I, Lord! It is true that the inchoate reality of the kingdom can also be found beyond the confines of the Church among peoples everywhere, to the extent that they live "gospel values" and are open to the working of the Spirit who breathes when and where he wills (cf. God, as revealed above all in the parables (cf. The so-called return or "repatriation" of the missions into the Church's mission, the insertion of missiology into ecclesiology, and the integration of both areas into the Trinitarian plan of salvation, have given a fresh impetus to missionary activity itself, which is not considered a marginal task for the Church but is situated at the center of her life, as a fundamental commitment of the whole People of God. Cf. And they said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say by interpretation, New peoples appear on the world scene, and they too have a right to receive the proclamation of salvation. First and foremost, there is the group of the Twelve which as a single body, led by Peter, proclaims the Good News. Results have not been lacking. 87. The different versions of the "missionary mandate" contain common elements as well as characteristics proper to each. Faith in Christ Is Directed to Man's Freedom, 7. The first Areopagus of the modern age is the world of communications, which is unifying humanity and turning it into what is known as a "global village." 30. "Authentic human development must be rooted in an ever deeper evangelization."110. 1. Cf. Cf. The Church is called to bear witness to Christ by taking courageous and prophetic stands in the face of the corruption of political or economic power; by not seeking her own glory and material wealth; by using her resources to serve the poorest of the poor and by imitating Christ's own simplicity of life. Note to the teacher: This lesson is an overview of Jesus' premortal, mortal, and postmortal life. Judas his betrayer also knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. New situations connected with the phenomenon of mobility demand from Christians an authentic missionary spirit. In not a few countries, over half the population already lives in a few "megalopolises," where human problems are often aggravated by the feeling of anonymity experienced by masses of people. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, 17; Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 3, 15.43. It is intended to help the children understand Jesus' mission more completely. The task of proclaiming Jesus Christ to all peoples appears to be immense and out of all proportion to the Church's human resources. This work must be seen not as peripheral but as central to the Christian life. Two thousand years ago, God's Son entered the world - a world of poverty, oppression, injustice and war. The ransoming of the first-born is another obligation of the father, and it is fulfilled by Joseph. John says that Jesus is the incarnated Word of God, bringing "grace and truth," replacing the law given by Moses, and making God known in the world ( 1:17 ). Lk 7:34), and making them feel loved by God, thus revealing his tender care for the needy and for sinners (cf. Copyright Dicastero per la Comunicazione - Libreria Editrice Vaticana. It is true that in some places sociological considerations associated with Baptism obscure its genuine meaning as an act of faith. Also to be noted is the real and growing interdependence which exists between these various saving activities of the Church. Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio, (November 22, 1981), 10: AAS 74 (1982), 91, which speaks of inculturation "in the context of marriage and the family."95. Here I wish to address all the particular churches, both young and old. 43. 48. Since Christ died for everyone, and since the ultimate calling of each of us comes from God and is therefore a universal one, we are obliged to hold that the Holy Spirit offers everyone the possibility of sharing in this Paschal Mystery in a manner known to God."19. Plenary Assembly of the Sacred Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, 1969, on catechists, and the related "Instruction" of April 1970: Bibliographia Missionaria 34 (1970), 197-212 and S. C. de Propaganda Fide Memoria Rerum, III/2 (1976), 821-831.159. All three members of the Trinity are active in the church's mission. Ibid., 15.81. In him, and only in him, are we set free from all alienation and doubt, from slavery to the power of sin and death. In the modern world it is becoming increasingly difficult to determine geographical or cultural boundaries. Lk 11:2; Mt 23:9) and strives to do his will (cf. In Christ, God calls all peoples to himself and he wishes to share with them the fullness of his revelation and love. I call to mind, as a new development occurring in many churches in recent times, the rapid growth of "ecclesial movements" filled with missionary dynamism. Each member of the faithful and all Christian communities are called to practice dialogue, although not always to the same degree or in the same way. Mt 11:27). The Second Vatican Council confirmed this tradition in its description of the missionary character of the entire People of God and of the apostolate of the laity in particular,147 emphasizing the specific contribution to missionary activity which they are called to make.148 The need for all the faithful to share in this responsibility is not merely a matter of making the apostolate more effective, it is a right and duty based on their baptismal dignity, whereby "the faithful participate, for their part, in the threefold mission of Christ as Priest, Prophet and King. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, 14; cf. Inter-religious dialogue is a part of the Church's evangelizing mission. "Can one reject Christ and everything that he has brought about in the history of mankind? Encyclical Letter Redemptor Hominis (March 4, 1979), 10: AAS 71 (1979), 274f.4. Christianity is open to universal brotherhood, for all men and women are sons and daughters of the same Father and brothers and sisters in Christ. Properly applied, inculturation must be guided by two principles: "compatibility with the gospel and communion with the universal Church. Acts 15:5-11, 28). In this view, the kingdom tends to become something completely human and secularized; what counts are programs and struggles for a liberation which is socio-economic, political and even cultural, but within a horizon that is closed to the transcendent. It can thus be characterized as the work of proclaiming Christ and his Gospel, building up the local Church and promoting the values of the kingdom. This is a positive development if tourists maintain an attitude of respect and a desire for mutual cultural enrichment, avoiding ostentation and waste, and seeking contact with other people. No one is too sinful to come to Him. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 17.155. "84, Incarnating the Gospel in Peoples' Culture. I therefore exhort the disciples of Christ and all Christian communities - from families to dioceses, from parishes to religious institutes - to carry out a sincere review of their lives regarding their solidarity with the poor. Generally, preference has been given to other means of preaching the Gospel and of Christian education, while the mass media are left to the initiative of individuals or small groups and enter into pastoral planning only in a secondary way. The kingdom which Jesus inaugurates is the kingdom of God. we reply with the Church's faith and experience that true liberation consists in opening oneself to the love of Christ. Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi, 70: loc. Moreover, the universal activity of the Spirit is not to be separated from his particular activity within the body of Christ, which is the Church. cit., 548-550.113. The Church's relationship with other religions is dictated by a twofold respect: "Respect for man in his quest for answers to the deepest questions of his life, and respect for the action of the Spirit in man. 36. 1:16-17; Gal. Mt 28:18; Acts 2:36; Eph 1:18-21). This obligation is all the more insistent in circumstances in which only through them are people able to hear the Gospel and to know Christ." You will also be a leaven of missionary spirit for the older churches. Faith is born of preaching, and every ecclesial community draws its origin and life from the personal response of each believer to that preaching.74 Just as the whole economy of salvation has its center in Christ, so too all missionary activity is directed to the proclamation of his mystery. 134 For this reason, the formation of candidates to the priesthood must aim at giving them "the true Catholic spirit whereby they will learn to transcend the bounds of their own diocese, country or rite, and come to the aid of the whole Church, in readiness to preach the Gospel anywhere." St. John clearly states that the Word, who "was in the beginning with God," is the very one who "became flesh" (Jn 1:2, 14). Jn 10:10). Isaac of Stella, Sermon 31, PL 194, 1793.117. Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio, 54: loc. The results of missionary activity in modern times are certainly positive. Recent popes have stressed the importance of the role of the laity in missionary activity.144 In the Exhortation Christifideles Laici, I spoke explicitly of the Church's "permanent mission of bringing the Gospel to the multitudes - the millions and millions of men and women - who as yet do not know Christ the Redeemer of humanity," 145 and of the responsibility of the lay faithful in this regard. St. John tells us that "God is love" (1 Jn 4:8, 16). I sense that the moment has come to commit all of the Church's energies to a new evangelization and to the mission ad gentes. Cf. 59. 83. His Gospel in no way detracts from man's freedom, from the respect that is owed to every culture and to whatever is good in each religion. More numerous are the citizens of mission countries and followers of non-Christian religions who settle in other nations for reasons of study or work, or are forced to do so because of the political or economic situations in their native lands. Conscious of the overall responsibility of Christians to contribute to missionary activity and to the development of poorer peoples, we must ask ourselves how it is that in some countries, while monetary contributions are on the increase, missionary vocations, which are the real measure of self-giving to one's brothers and sisters, are in danger of disappearing. "Guide de la vie pastorale pour les pretres diocesains des Eglises qui dependent de la Congregation pour l'Evanglisation des Peuples," Rome, 1989.136. It is not right to give an incomplete picture of missionary activity, as if it consisted principally in helping the poor, contributing to the liberation of the oppressed, promoting development or defending human rights. To the question, "why mission?" If nothing were done in our behalf, all would be lost. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 10.50. Missionary cooperation is rooted and lived, above all, in personal union with Christ. These model speeches, delivered by Peter and by Paul, proclaim Jesus and invite those listening to "be converted," that is, to accept Jesus in faith and to let themselves be transformed in him by the Spirit. Finally, the Church serves the kingdom by her intercession, since the kingdom by its very nature is God's gift and work, as we are reminded by the gospel parables and by the prayer which Jesus taught us. 91. "46, This is the same Spirit who was at work in the Incarnation and in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, and who is at work in the Church. It is true that the "option for the neediest" means that we should not overlook the most abandoned and isolated human groups, but it is also true that individual or small groups cannot be evangelized if we neglect the centers where a new humanity, so to speak, is emerging, and where new models of development are taking shape. For each believer, as for the entire Church, the missionary task must remain foremost, for it concerns the eternal destiny of humanity and corresponds to God's mysterious and merciful plan. Missionary activity specifically directed "to the nations" (ad gentes) appears to be waning, and this tendency is certainly not in line with the directives of the Council and of subsequent statements of the Magisterium. The Acts of the Apostles records six summaries of the "missionary discourses" which were addressed to the Jews during the Church's infancy (cf. 9. And this was the religion of a man who had died on a cross, "a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles"! cit., 264-268, 277f; John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 27-41: loc. Jesus of Nazareth brings God's plan to fulfillment. In his Encyclical Fidei Donum, Pope Pius XII, with prophetic insight, encouraged bishops to offer some of their priests for temporary service in the churches of Africa, and gave his approval to projects already existing for that purpose. Acts 2:45; 4:35). Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, 13.18. He can say 'no' to Christ. The redemptive value of suffering, accepted and offered to God with love, derives from the sacrifice of Christ himself, who calls the members of his Mystical Body to share in his sufferings, to complete them in their own flesh (cf. 154 It is with good reason that the older and established churches, committed to a new evangelization, have increased the numbers of their catechists and intensified catechetical activity. From the outset, conversion is expressed in faith which is total and radical, and which neither limits nor hinders God's gift. Whereas the foundation of a new church requires the Eucharist and hence the priestly ministry, missionary activity, which is carried out in a wide variety of ways, is the task of all the Christian faithful. Jesus sums up the whole Law, focusing it on the commandment of love (cf. He finds answers to problems in the light of God's word and in personal and community prayer. Ibid., 22: loc. The mother of Jesus is said to be Mary, who conceived Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit while she was still a Cooperation between the churches, in an authentic reciprocity that prepares them both to give and to receive, is a source of enrichment for all of them and touches the various spheres of ecclesial life. To help the children understand the mission of Jesus Christ. mission. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Declaration on the Church's Relation to Non-Christian Religions Nostra Aetate, 2.106. 69. Paul and Barnabas are impelled by the Spirit to go to the Gentiles (cf. The Spirit leads the company of believers to "form a community," to be the Church. Cf. Certainly, the kingdom demands the promotion of human values, as well as those which can properly be called "evangelical," since they are intimately bound up with the "Good News." In fact, large-scale and regular activity is already taking place in this area, with visible results. After preaching in a number of places, St. Paul arrived in Athens, where he went to the Areopagus and proclaimed the Gospel in language appropriate to and understandable in those surroundings (cf. As the first of these difficulties Pope Paul VI pointed to "the lack of fervor [which] is all the more serious because it comes from within. Decree on Ecumenism Unitatis Redintegratio, 3.83. It is therefore necessary to ensure that this specifically "missionary work that Jesus entrusted and still entrusts each day to his Church"55 does not become an indistinguishable part of the overall mission of the whole People of God and as a result become neglected or forgotten. The presence of Christian communities is more evident in the life of nations, and communion between the churches has led to a lively exchange of spiritual benefits and gifts. But if they are to recognize the true God, they must abandon the false gods which they themselves have made and open themselves to the One whom God has sent to remedy their ignorance and satisfy the longings of their hearts. The Second Vatican Council sought to renew the Church's life and activity in the light of the needs of the contemporary world. The eschatological reality is not relegated to a remote "end of the world," but is already close and at work in our midst. The result is a distortion of the meaning of the kingdom, which runs the risk of being transformed into a purely human or ideological goal, and a distortion of the identity of Christ, who no longer appears as the Lord to whom everything must one day be subjected (cf. He healed the lepers, so they could return to their work. Jesus there developed a more intimate friendship than the others knew (DA 292). Cf. Cf. Side by side with those who had been sent forth, there were also others, who bore spontaneous witness to the newness which had transformed their lives, and who subsequently provided a link between the emerging communities and the Apostolic Church. The rapid and profound transformations which characterize today's world, especially in the southern hemisphere, are having a powerful effect on the overall missionary picture. CHAPTER IV - THE VAST HORIZONS OF THE MISSION AD GENTES, 31. The kingdom of God, however, "is not of this worldis not from the world" (Jn 18:36). These communities are a sign of vitality within the Church, an instrument of formation and evangelization, and a solid starting point for a new society based on a "civilization of love.". Since salvation is offered to all, it must be made concretely available to all. Churches that are flourishing today would not have been built up without them. They are journeys of faiththey are likewise opportunities for traveling catechesis, for evangelical proclamation in spreading the Gospel and the apostolic Magisterium to the full extent of the world. Acts 13:46-48), a development not without certain tensions and problems. Involvement in the mass media, however, is not meant merely to strengthen the preaching of the Gospel. cit., 857-859, 892-894.76.
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