EUROPE/SPAIN - Revive at all levels the awareness of being one “great family” the Church of Jesus Christ, and as such naturally inclined to be missionary “ad gentes”: one objective of Diocesan Mission Day in Madrid, Sunday 6 June.

Madrid (Fides Service) - On Sunday June 6 the archdiocese of Madrid will celebrate its annual Mission Day with the slogan “We are Church: we send missionaries!”.
According to information from the diocesan Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Madrid, the archdiocese has about 1,600 missionaries, working in 79 different countries on 4 continents. Most of them are women religious (926 belonging to 103 different Congregations), followed by 401 Brothers (of 41 Religious Institutes), 105 lay missionaries from 13 Secular Institutes, 92 missionaries of diocesan clergy and lastly 22 women religious of enclosed orders belonging to 5 convents. The continent with the highest number of missionaries from Madrid is America, with 1,104 missionaries in 23 countries, followed by Africa with 319 missionaries in 31 countries, Asia with 89 missionaries in 14 nations and lastly the continent of Europe with 34 missionaries in 11 countries.
A document issued by the National Missions Council ‘Mission and Cultures’ says clearly at paragraph 95 “when a Particular Church has been fully planted its missionary task is not ended: it has the duty to become an evangelising Church which sends missionaries and is concerned for all the Churches. Missionary commitment will last until the end of time”. Therefore “our Church in Madrid would be inert if it failed to send many of its best sons and daughters to proclaim the Good News of Salvation to all those thirsting for living water”. “We are the Church: we send missionaries!”, says the note sent to Fides by the diocesan Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Madrid and diocesan delegate for Missions of Madrid archdiocese, Father Jesus Pérez de Miguel.
The diocesan Mission Day is a special time for missionary animation because it invites people to thank God for the gift of missionary vocations and entrusts with prayers to God the 1,600 missionaries ad gentes operating in different regions of the world and the others who will be sent soon. It also revives at all the pastoral levels awareness of being “great family” the Church of Jesus Christ and as such naturally inclined to mission “ad gentes”, and that no other commitment can dispense from rendering concrete this inclination.
The programme of events will have its central moment in the solemn Concelebration of the Eucharist with the Sending of Missionaries in June 6 at midday in the Cathedral Santa Maria dell’ Almudena, presided by the Archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Antonio M. Rouco Varela. The Cardinal will give the missionary mandate and crucifix to 32 missionaries sent by the “ Diocesan Family of Madrid” in Africa (7), Asia (1 in Thailand) and Latin America (24).
In preparation for the Day, 3 missionary Conferences were organised - 2 have taken place on 12 and 26 May - aimed at increasing missionary awareness and zeal among all the people of Madrid. The conferences dealt with the subjects which are the most pressing challenges to the evangelising work of the Church: “The Missionary Church builder of Peace”, “Interreligious Dialogue a path for Peace”, “Commitment of the Church in Europe for world Peace”. The third and final Conference will be held on 2 June at the John Paul II Forum at the parish of “Concepción de Ntra Sra” in Madrid. (R.Z.) (Agenzia Fides 1/6/2004; Righe 41; Parole 541)