Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Brasilia (Agenzia Fides) – “This meeting has been an important experience of missionary commitment. Prayer, conferences, group discussion, hymns have had one same goal: how to prepare future priests to be shepherds and to be evangelisers, concerned for universal mission, which is a natural aspect of the vocation ”. This was said by Fr. Vito Del Prete, PIME, Secretary General of the Pontifical Missionary Union, at the end of Brazil's First National Mission Congress for Seminarians held 4 - 10 July in Brasilia (see Fides 5/7/2010; 12/7/2010). Fr Vito, who was involved in the initial preparation of the Congress as well as its celebration, offered the following reflections on the event.
“ Our Congress explored and narrated the various areas of the activity of evangelisation: testimony of direct evangelisation in the local Church, in Latin America and in mainly non-Christian countries; it identified guidelines for mission courses in initial formation; speakers presented with missionary passion a formation plan; exemplary and inspiring not only the presence but also the full and active participation of the Bishops present, who demonstrated missionary calling and concern. Lastly and most important, I have been profoundly edified by the active participation of everyone present; you were the main actors of this First Congress, and you revealed to us your missionary soul. It was you who reminded us that the Church's mission is prophecy and that this should characterise all ecclesial activity.
Mission activity is contextual
The missionary dimension is contextual in the journey of every local Church, it regards animation, formation as well as direct evangelisation. However I must say one thing: mission today tends more to be celebrated rather than realised. We have liturgical celebrations rich in signs proclaiming the urgency and the necessity of mission Ad Gentes. However there is a danger that we stop there, that we are not effectively involved in universal mission. The proclamation of principles must be followed by the practice of these principles. Evangelisation is not just planning, it is doing. It should be the very life of every Christian, as we sang in the hymn of the Continental Mission.
The Catholic Church in Brazil, is young in history and in the age of its people. Nevertheless it has tackled difficult challenges. It has acted as a moral force affirming and defending the dignity of the human person, every human person, against many forms of oppression, discrimination and denial of human rights. This Church, referred to by some as adolescent, precisely for this reason has the ability to dream to create, to plan. This Church must now mature, but without losing the youthful enthusiasm which enables it to spread Christ's love among its own people, among those who are far from the Church, and even among non Christians.
The interventions at our meeting revealed the necessity of harmonious combining of pastoral care and the specific work of evangelisation ad intra e ad extra. Also because pastoral care and evangelisation are inter-dependent in their specific identity. Both are necessary. What renders pastoral activity missionary is the obligatory paradigm of Mission ad gentes. What needs to be communicated in initial formation is that the activity of evangelisation is an act of love for Christ and for all humanity. Missionary, it has been said, is a noun, not an adjective: priest Missionary, sister or brother Missionary, lay Missionary. It is also important to realise that the Continental Mission launched by CAM 3 means making the whole Latin American continent, a missionary. To do this it is necessary to make bishops and clergy missionaries, if want their communities to be missionaries. What we need are new men for a new world, priest evangelisers for a new mission. I am very happy that I took part in this first Congress, which I hope will not be the last!” (CE) (Agenzia Fides 15/07/2010)
