Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bogota (Fides Service) - “Many call themselves Christians but are not interested in following Jesus, the Lord!” the Bishops of Colombia say in a Message issed at the end of their 77th Plenary Assembly in Bogota 5 to 9 July during which they reflected on how to give new impulse to Evangelisation and Christian Initiation to heal the separation of faith and life, between what is belived and what is practised.
The point of departure is the Christian’s deepest identity: What does it mean to be truly a Christian? "A Christian is someone who has had a personal encounter with the Risen Lord Jesus Christ, who has experienced His love and, like the first Christians, realises that he or she is called to bear witness to the Lord…to be an active member of the Church”.
Reflecting on the evangelising mission of the Church the Colombian Bishops say: "Evangelisation is a call to simple, spontaneous and permanent conversion filled with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit" and they underline that the mission of evangelisation, which is for all the baptised, consists of bearing witness of life and giving reasons for faith, "so that the world may be filled with knowledge and love of God, knowing that in this task we are never alone, because the Lord is the foundation and guarantor of our hope".
“For evangelisation to reach every person ” - the Message contines - “the Church accompanise every human person from the start of life so that through the grace of Baptism he or she comes to maturity of life in Christ in Confirmation and nourished with the life of the Lord who gives Himself in the Eucharist". The most important pastoral duties mentioned by the Bishops include: initiation of children, adolescents and young adults preparing for Baptism, First Holy Communion or Confirmation; training of evangelisers and catechists to guarantee the processes of renewal of individuals and family and of catechetics and pastoral care for adults, to foster in them new and total conversion to the Lord. (R.G.) (Agenzia Fides 13/7/2004 - Righe: 25; Parole: 334)
