Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - A solemn celebration of Vespers, yesterday Sunday 10 September, opened the Study Seminar organised by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples for 99 Bishops appointed in the past two years of mission territories Africa, Asia, America and Oceania (see Fides 8/9/2006).
This morning a concelebrated Mass was presided by CEP secretary Archbishop Robert Sarah. There followed a conference by the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples Cardinal Ivan Dias, on the “Origin, development and responsibilities of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples”. “This course - the Cardinal said - intends to be an act of sincere communion on the part of the Missionary Congregation with each of your Particular Churches and at the same time an opportunity for us to get to know each personally… the immediate and practical aim of our Seminar is to offer you time to pray, reflect and learn more about the life and ministry of the bishop who, particularly in the early years, meets with difficulties and problems. The theoretical and practical presentation of situations and concerns by specialists and leading Church members of great experience on the matters in question will help you when you return to your dioceses to grow in your love for the Lord and have more courage and enthusiasm in your service as bishops”.
Cardinal Dias began by outlining the historical-cultural context in which the Sacra Congregatio de Propaganda Fide was born in 1622, and he then illustrated the nature, goals and responsibilities of the Congregation. One principal criteria of responsibility is geographical-territorial: “which means our responsibility covers most of Africa, Asia, and Oceania except for Australia, some local Churches in northern Canada and in Latin America - the Cardinal explained -. Certain regions of Europe which used to be the responsibility of the CEP, such as Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia and Gibraltar, on 4 January 2006 became regions of common right. On 30 June 2006 the number of ecclesiastical circumscriptions dependent on the CEP was 1,082, representing almost 40% of the presence of the universal Church in the world… the Congregation is responsible for all the ecclesial activity in these mission territories from the appointment of bishops to formation in seminaries, the life and ministry of priests, men and women religious, catechists, committed lay Catholics with all the consequences, also financial, which this implies”.
Among the emerging difficulties for mission today Cardinal Dias mentioned first of all that of missionary animation: “by sacramental nature the Bishop is a missionary, one sent to proclaim Christ to the world. This is why missionary pastoral must be his main concern”. The second challenge facing the CEP is formation in mission territories for all the faithful (bishops, priests, men and women religious, catechists, committed lay Catholics) which is “a priority for mission territories living a time of maturing and growing which calls for sound and ongoing formation for all if we wish to safeguard the future of our Churches”. Another important issue requiring attention is inculturation and inter-religious dialogue: “Inter-religious dialogue cannot be seen as a new relativistic belief which is against conversion or mission - said Cardinal Dias -. Of course the Church is engaged in authentic dialogue, not simply talks with our brother believers. However the urgent task in inter-religious dialogue is to open the way for the proclamation of Christ, the Way, Truth, and Life. Therefore dialogue does not replace proclamation, it leads to it”. Lastly the problems of nationalism, tribalism and the caste system. The Cardinal urged the Bishops: “Preach continually and with courage against these forms of division which render obscure the authentic face of Christ and his Church and lead to division, discord and at times even death among those who are brothers in Christ and children of the same Father”.
Proclaiming the faith to the nations is a complex task. Card. Dias concluded: “ Today as in the past new missionary situations arise. In addition to the classical non Christian areas we see social-cultural environments which appear to have renounced the legacy of the Gospel … These are the new squares in which it is urgent to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom; these new challenges for the Church of the third millennium, are also your challenges. You bishops are the builders of the Church which has started a new millennium in her history”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 11/9/2006; Righe 54 - Parole 738)
