VATICAN - Message to the Superior General of the Society of African Missions on the occasion of the Society’s 150th anniversary of foundation

Monday, 11 December 2006

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - In a message to the members of the Society of African Missions on the occasion of their 150th anniversary on December 8, Pope Benedict XVI writes “Assuring you of my prayers, I give thanks to the Lord for your dedication to the spread of his Kingdom. I am confident that your celebrations, guided by the Holy Spirit and inspired by the courage and generosity of your Founder, the Servant of God Bishop Melchior de Marion Brésillac, will be a source of encouragement for all the Priests and Brothers to renew your commitment to witness to the unbreakable bond between love of God and love of neighbour”. The message was addressed to SMA Superior General, Fr. Kieran O’Reilly.
In his message the Pope says that the missionary vocation “shows the beauty of a life lived in Christ at the service of others”. In a world “where poverty, injustice, moral relativism and secularism overshadow every continent,” only the Good News of Jesus Christ and witness to his Gospel “dispel darkness and despair and illuminates the way of peace, fostering hope in the hearts of even the most marginalized and dejected of people”. Pope Benedict XVI recalls that the missionary history of the Society for African Missions reflects “creative fidelity” to the Founder’s intentions to evangelise the most abandoned and the most spiritually deprived. The Pope concluded “I encourage you to ponder daily the mystery of God who is love. Allow yourselves to be illumined-by his Word; be tireless and faithful servants of his Church; imitate him in the generous gift of yourselves to the least of his brothers and sisters!” (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 11/12/2006 - Righe 20, parole 278)


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