Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Mazatlan (Agenzia Fides) – "Conversion is nothing other than simply adhering oneself to a person, to Jesus Christ, to His Gospel, to the values of the Kingdom of God, and using the Gospel as the reference point in viewing reality, situations, in approaching life in a new way, with all its challenges.” This was written by Bishop Mario Espinosa Contreras, Bishop of Mazatlan in Mexico, in his message for Lent, a copy of which was sent to Fides. The Bishop proposes two dimensions for our Lenten journey: personal conversion and the missionary decision. "In the Aparecida Document - writes Bishop Espinosa Contreras - speaks of personal conversion and pastoral conversion. Chapter 6, 'The training of missionary disciples', addresses the formation of missionary disciples and we see that after the encounter with Jesus Christ which leads to the experience of the kerygma, or personal conversion, there is an initial response from the one who has listened to the Lord with admiration, believes in Him through the action of the Holy Spirit, and decides to be his friend and go after him, aware that death to sin means obtaining life' (DA 278)."
Chapter 7 of the document, dedicated to “the mission of the disciples to serve the fullness of life," addresses the pastoral conversion, which is directly related to the mission. In reference to the Aparecida Document, it says: “This firm missionary decision must involve all the structures of the Church." In pastoral conversion, the main reference is the Kingdom of God, the absolute reality that Jesus Christ proclaimed and lived. For the pastoral conversion "we must grasp the historical context in which we live, the socio-cultural dimension and its changes that present new challenges for the Church and its mission of building the Kingdom of God. Pastoral conversion invites us to move from a pastoral ministry of maintenance to pastoral ministry that is decidedly missionary."
The message concludes by affirming that the pastoral conversion is not "self-perfection,” but experience of the Kingdom, to meet our brothers and sisters, especially those who are most withdrawn. Bishop Espinosa Contreras invokes the help of the Lord and for His light, which is necessary in living out a personal and pastoral conversion. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 27/02/2010)
