VATICAN - 118 Newly appointed Bishops from mission territories start seminary organised by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. Cardinal Sepe says “You Bishops are the builders of this Church which has begun a new millennium of her history ”.

Monday, 6 September 2004

Vatican City (Fides Service) - “This encounter is expression of the Congregation’s sincere communion with each of your particular Churches as well as providing an opportunity to meet you personally. The aim of our Seminar is to offer you time for prayer, reflection and study on the life and ministry of the bishop, which, especially in the early years, may meet with difficulties and problems.” Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples said this when this morning he opened the study seminary organised by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples for 118 newly appointed Bishops of Churches in mission territories in Africa, Asia, America and Oceania. The Bishops are from French, Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries.
“We have come together to reflect on the shared responsibility for mission Ad Gentes and the consequent commitment to serve the cause of the missionary Church” said Cardinal Sepe, who gave the opening talk on the origin, growth and duties of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples for mission ad gentes. After tracing the historical and cultural context, which led Pope Gregory XV in 1622, to institute the Sacred College de Propaganda Fide, the Cardinal illustrated the nature, ends and duties of the Congregation. One main criteria for competence is geographical-territorial: “this means that our competence extends to almost the whole of Africa and Asia, Oceania but not Australia, some Churches in Canada and Latin America - Cardinal Sepe explained- as well as some regions of Europe, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Gibraltar, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan. At the end of 2002 the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples had 1,086 ecclesiastical circumscriptions in its care, almost 39% of the universal Church’s presence in the world. The CEP is responsible, in effect, for all the ecclesial activity in mission territories: with regard to the appointment of bishops, formation in the seminaries, the life and ministry of the clergy, men and women religious, catechists and active laity, with all the consequences, including economic aspects”.
Among the fields in which the CEP is particularly committed Cardinal Sepe mentioned missionary animation, formation in mission territories (concerning bishops, clergy religious, seminarians, catechists and laity), inculturation of the Gospel, interreligious dialogue as well as helping to uproot nationalism, tribalism and the discrimination of caste systems.
“Today, as in the past, new missionary realities emerge. Besides classical non-Christian environments there are social-cultural circles which appear to have renounced their religious heritage” Cardinal Sepe said by way of conclusion. “These are the new marketplaces in which we must proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom; these are the challenger facing the Church in the third millennium, these are your challenges. You bishops are the builders of this Church which has begun a new millennium of her history”.
During the first morning of work Archbishop Robert Sarah, Secretary of the CEP spoke to the new Bishops about the Congregation’s efforts to promote and sustain the formation of pastoral workers in mission territories through the Pontifical Collages in Rome and many institutes all over the world affiliated to the Pontifical Urban University. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 6/9/2004; Righe 42 - Parole 527)


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