Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - 'Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature' (Mark 16:15). With these words of the Risen Lord Jesus, given in the final part of the Gospel of St. Mark, the mission of the Church begins. She exists in order to evangelize, to proclaim always and everywhere the Good News to all people of good will. The mandate remains the same, as the same is Jesus Christ 'yesterday, today and forever' (Heb 13:8), and his Gospel, while recipients change and the social, cultural, political and religious situations in which they live. The missionary mandate of the Lord glorified, victorious over sin and death, will also mark the forthcoming activities of the XIII Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops." This is what the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, His Exc. Mgr. Nikola Eterovic said this morning, explaining to journalists the development of the XIII Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, to be held at the Vatican from October 7 to 28 on the theme "The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian faith" (see Fides 20 and 21/06/2012). Commenting on the two aspects of the Synod, Mgr. Eterovic pointed out that "the purpose of the new evangelization is the transmission of the faith. On the other hand, the process of transmission of the faith, which in many cases today finds obstacles of various nature, takes place in the context of the new evangelization. "
The Holy Father will preside four liturgical celebrations: the solemn Eucharistic celebration on October 7, which will mark the beginning of the Synod of Bishops, during which the Pope will declare doctors two saints of the Church: St. John of Avila and St. Hildegard of Bingen. The Synod then will end on Sunday, October 28, with the concelebration of the Eucharist of all the Synodal participants and of the priests who participated in the Assembly. On Sunday, October 21, World Mission Day, the Pope will preside the Mass for the canonization of 7 Blessed . The Eucharist of particular significance will be on 11 October, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council and the 20th anniversary of the promulgation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. On that occasion, the Holy Father Benedict XVI will open the Year of Faith which will end on the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King, on November 24, 2013. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 05/10/2012)
