VATICAN - From the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe Cardinal Sepe makes new appeal for Mission: “There is no more urgent task, no higher vocation than that of co-operating like Mary with the apostolic mission of the Church”

Mexico City (Fides Service) - “From this Marian Shrine, here at the feet of Our Lady of Guadalupe, I wish today to launch a new appeal for mission ad gentes. Humanity anxiously awaits the light and the Truth of the Love of Christ. Many know him but they live in sadness, pessimism or desperation. Millions have never heard of him. Where are the evangelisers? Where are the witnesses of his resurrection? Where are those who feel the fire of God’s Word burning in their heart? “There is no more urgent task, no higher vocation than that of co-operating like Mary with the apostolic mission of the Church to offer new life to humanity.” This passionate appeal was launched by the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, who is on a pastoral visit in Mexico. Yesterday 8 March Cardinal Sepe presided a solemn celebration of the Eucharist in the Basilica dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe. The concelebrants included the Bishop members of the Mexican Bishops’ Commission for Mission, and the national director and diocesan directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies with whom after the Mass the Cardinal had a meeting. “Each of us is at the service of the missionary command of our Lord - the Cardinal said in his homily -. It depends on us, and on you in particular diocesan directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies, to make this missionary appeal born at Guadalupe felt in every diocese and parish in Mexico.”
Drawing inspiration from the Gospel narration of the Virgin Mary’s visit to her cousin Elisabeth, Cardinal Sepe spoke of the joy which pervaded the event of the Visitation to underline that “to evangelise means to spread this joy by announcing the Good News of salvation to those who live in suffering and sadness … In our secularised societies dominated by moral relativism and the superficial happiness of futile hedonism, the proclamation of Christ - and Christ crucified - provokes rejection and indifference. In this situation we may be tempted to ‘dilute’ the message of Christ and shape it to fit the mentality of our day. By doing so we prevent people from experiencing the joy Jesus promised his disciples”.
In the apostolic exhortation “Ecclesia in America”, the Holy Father Pope John Paul II wrote: “The appearance of Mary to the native Juan Diego on the hill of Tepeyac in 1531 had a decisive effect on evangelisation. Its influence greatly overflows the boundaries of Mexico, spreading to the whole Continent” (n.11). “This missionary impulse originated here in Guadalupe and spread all over the world at the beginning of the history of the Church in this beloved country, through the missionary vocations of many Mexican priests and men and women religious- said the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples -. I express to all of them sent by the Spirit to the five continents of the world, gratitude and recognition on the part of the universal Church for their valuable work of evangelisation.” Lastly Cardinal Sepe said he was aware that the enormous effort demanded for missionary work is far greater than human strength, “but we are not alone, Jesus Christ is with us” he said entrusting the future of the Church and humanity to Our Lady of Guadalupe. The Cardinal ended his homily with these words: “May the prayers and blessing of the Holy Father reach each and all of you”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 9/3/2005; righe 39, parole 544)