Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides Service) - On Thursday 25 November, on another lap of his pastoral visit in South East Asia, Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples celebrated mass in the main Catholic church in Vientiane capital of Laos with the Bishops and priests of Laos in the presence of many men and women religious and lay people. In his homily the Cardinal said: “My heart is filled with gratitude to God for giving me this opportunity to celebrate the Eucharist here in your noble land and to sing with you the praises of the Lord Jesus who calls us to give thanks to God the Father”.
“The Pope sends you his paternal and affectionate greetings, and also his Blessing for you, your families and your communities- the Cardinal told those present -. I have come on behalf of the Pope to strengthen you in the faith which you posses thanks to evangelisation which has borne fruit in your country. Jesus urges you to have courage, not to be afraid, because he has conquered the world”.
Explaining the reasons for his pastoral visit the Prefect of the Missionary Congregation said: «I have come to stimulate your charity, or love ‘which is the bond of perfection... I have come to strengthen your hope so that no difficulty may distract you from the path you are walking, or from the goal of your Christian life: to save your souls and build up the Church. I have come above all to thank you for your loyalty to the Apostolic See and to encourage you to bear ever bolder witness to Jesus and his Gospel in daily life. I have come to assure you that the Holy Father, the Holy See, the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, are closet o you in prayer, support your efforts and share your pastoral difficulties. I have come to encourage you to evangelise and to spread the Good News among the people of Laos.”
Cardinal Sepe said that although it is small, the Church in Laos, “ is a fruit of generous work of valorous missionaries and Christian martyrs who shed their blood to bear witness to Christ, to defend their faith and build up the Church”. The main concern of the missionaries— the Cardinal said — was to train local catechists, priests and men and women religious. Today “sons of your nation guide your local Church …Yes, it is your duty to strengthen the faith of the Church in Laos and to help it grow in holiness”.
The Prefect of the Missionary Congregation said all Christians must be aware of their duty to spread the Gospel and to share in the missionary activity of the Church, as the Second Vatican Council encouraged. Addressing young people present, the Cardinal urged them to listen to the voice of the Lord calling them to be generous and to follow Him. The Cardinal ended his homily referring to the Year of the Eucharist: “Let us make an effort to improve our communion every time we approach the altar to receive the Lord. Our efforts will be amply rewarded by the Lord. May the Blessed Virgin Mary teach us to receive Jesus in our hearts as she received hi into her womb!».
During his visit Cardinal Sepe blessed a new Sports Centre for Disabled People in Vientiane. In his address he said “the Church encourages sport and recognises its positive values”, because “the goal of sport is the development of the person, the whole person, spiritual and corporal dimensions”. After thanking those whose generosity helped to build the structures the Cardinal said he hoped that all who used the Centre would “find wellbeing, joy, peace, serenity, friendship and fraternity”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 26/11/2004; righe 43; parole 618)
