Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lima (Agenzia Fides) – On Saturday, August 30, the Great Continental Mission was launched in Peru, with a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani, Archbishop of Lima and Primate of Peru, and concelebrated by all the Bishops of Peru. The Mass was attended by thousands of faithful. A brief ceremony for the proclamation of the launching of the Continental Mission in Peru took place at the close of the Mass. During the ceremony, a Cuzcan altarpiece, hand-painted by local artists, was presented to the Bishops of Peru, as a symbol of their mission to follow in Christ’s footsteps. The theme of the event was “I tell you: the Mission is now.” The homily was given by Archbishop Héctor Miguel Cabrejos of Trujillo, President of the Peruvian Bishops’ Conference, who focused on the importance of being a disciple and friend of Christ. “In order to become disciples, we have to go to Christ, convert ourselves towards Him and change our ways of thinking. We have to put on Christ, which means passing beyond my horizons, to those of God, from my world to that of God, from hate and revenge to forgiveness,” he said. He also mentioned that as disciples and missionaries, “we should seek familiarity with God. Our authentic relationship with God has greater bonds than those of a human family. This is the Church: a family in God, which is even stronger than a human family.”
On the occasion of the launching of the Continental Mission in the country, the Holy Father Benedict XVI sent a brief Message to the Peruvian Bishops expressing his hope that the mission in Peru “may bring renewal to the Church communities of this nation, in such a way that it may grow in a spirit of evangelization and that all the faithful may truly be authentic disciples of Jesus Christ, receiving and proclaiming His word with humility, worthily celebrating His sacraments, and giving a convincing testimony of love in the world, towards the establishment of a society of justice, fraternity, and solidarity.”
With this Mission, the Bishops of Peru have placed the following objectives: promote a profound personal and pastoral conversion, starting from Christ in a new life in the Spirit; promote religious formation that leads to the creation of missionary communities; spread awareness of the permanent state of mission that should exist in all communities, organizations, associations, and Church movements, so as to reach those areas farthest from the Church, including the indifferent and non-believers; accompany the dioceses as they establish a missionary itinerary. The Mission is divided into four stages: a) Spreading awareness among the pastoral agents and evangelizers; b) in-depth formation with the principle groups; c) local missions; d) territorial mission. The Peruvian Bishops’ Conference has also launched a new web page dedicated to the Mission, offering information and updates. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 2/9/2008)
