AMERICA/MEXICO - Archbishop Dal Toso: "Mexico, a generous nation in the gift of missionaries"

Tuesday, 2 October 2018 evangelization   pontifical mission societies   extraordinary missionary month   mission  

Mexico City (Agenzia Fides) - "Mexico is among the emerging nations in terms of the gift of missionaries, because more and more faithful from this country leave to bring the Good News of Christ to distant lands": says Mgr. Giampietro Dal Toso, Assistant Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and President of the Pontifical Mission Societies, as he begins his visit in the Mexican capital. The Archbishop emphasized "the presence of so many Mexican missionaries, priests, men and women religious, but also lay people and families, who leave their land to bring faith everywhere in the world". "Mission - he notes - is not something which belongs to the past, but is current, and is a call of every baptized: this is why Pope Francis always speaks of 'a Church that goes forth', which means missionary Church".
Mgr. Dal Toso illustrated the details of his trip in Mexico, during which he will offer some conferences, meet the Bishops and visit the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. "Pope Francis wanted the whole Church to celebrate an extraordinary missionary month in October 2019. The Church in Mexico decided that its celebration will be extended for a whole year, indicating a special Missionary Year, and this is the reason of my visit here", explained the president of the Pontifical Mission Societies.
There are also important events to celebrate in Mexico in October 2018, starting from the 50th anniversary of the magazine "Ad Gentes", published by the PMS of Mexico (see Fides 1/10/2018). In fact, the opening of the missionary Month involves the whole local Church. The opening Day will be be highlighted with the presentation of a commemorative edition of the contemporary papal missionary Magisterium, by Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes, Archbishop of Mexico, and by the blessing of the Paul VI Missionary Library, by Archbishop Franco Coppola, Apostolic Nuncio. Mgr. Dal Toso will preside at the solemn celebration of the Eucharist at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the afternoon, in the presence of all the city's authorities and a large assembly of faithful. (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 02/10/2018)


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