AMERICA/URUGUAY - Bishops' document on the Continental Mission: “more than a pastoral plan of action, it is God's call to the Church to embrace her identity as community of missionary disciples of Jesus Christ”

Thursday, 7 May 2009

Florida (Agenzia Fides) - “The Continental Mission for a Church in Permanent State of Mission” is the title of the document issued by Uruguay's Bishops' Conference at the close of their Plenary Assembly held last week (see Fides 30/4/2009), on the theme of the Continental Mission in the country.
In the document, the Bishops recall the fact that “the Mission, more than a pastoral plan of action, is God's call to the Church to embrace her identity as community of missionary disciples of Jesus Christ.” Taking texts from the Final Document of Aparecida, the Bishops respond to the question: “What is the Continental Mission?” which they describe as “a missionary impulse charged by the Holy Spirit, in the entire Church of Latin America and the Caribbean” and whose fundamental objective is to “place the Church and all her members in a permanent state of mission.” This implies “going from a pastoral plan of mere conservation to a pastoral plan that is truly missionary” (DA, 370) and helping all those in the Church to become authentic servants of Life.”
The Bishops say that the most important part is to “go out more than stay inside of our churches, waiting for the people to come to us” and remind them that “the task of evangelization is not only about transmitting doctrine, but giving real life testimonies.” Thus, the Mission implies “ a personal, pastoral, and ecclesial conversion” and “profound changes in our manner of living the faith, organizing pastoral activity, serving the world, leaving aside 'outdated structures'” (DA, 365). In order to carry out this mission, the Bishops are making several concrete proposals. Among them, they recall that “the Continental Mission embraces Aparecida and applies the Pastoral Guidelines, etc. of each diocese.” One special aspect will be that of “cultivating the attitude of going out to meet people, families, environments, willing to discover and appreciate what God has done in them.”
On a national level, the Bishops' Conference will encourage the Mission with “a poster to be placed in parishes, chapels, schools, halls, etc.; a prayer and a song to characterize our celebrations and encounters.” They also propose a celebration of Pentecost (May 31) with greater missionary emphasis; celebrating the various national celebrations (Catechesis Day, Youth Day, Consecrated Life Day, Catholic Education Day, Family Week, etc.), with an explicitly missionary dimension. Hold another Missionary Symposium on July 22, as a reflection; live well the Month of the Missions (October), as an opportunity to cultivate the missionary dimension of our faith and make us aware of the commitment to evangelize all peoples; celebrate the feast of Our Lady “de los Treinta y Tres” (November 8) with a special missionary spirit; make Family Pastoral Care a missionary priority, promote the family as small domestic church, making dioceses and parishes houses of the great family of the Church. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 7/5/2009)


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