Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Tucuman (Agenzia Fides) - "Lord, May Your Promise Come True in Us" is the title of a Pastoral Letter issued by Archbishop Luis H. Villalba of Tucuman archdiocese in Argentina focussed on the Sacrament of Confirmation with which the archbishop intends to rekindle the memory and the joy for the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Letter is also an element of the second stage (Catechumenal) of the pastoral plan of Tucuman archdiocese to promote deeper awareness of the Christian message. The letter addressed to all Catholics has been distributed to parishes, schools, pastoral teams, lay associations and Basic Christian Communities as a resource for catechesis and meditation during the Season of Lent. The Letter has seven paragraphs: "Confirmation is the Fullness of Baptism", "The Sacrament of Confirmation and Christian Pentecost", " Confirmation gives the gift of the Holy Spirit". " Confirmation unites us more closely with Christ", " Confirmation perfects our bond with the Church", "Confirmation Sacrament of Fortitude", “The liturgical celebration of Confirmation ".
The Archbishop recalls Vatican II’s teaching that "Confirmation unites the baptised more closely with the Church enabling them through the special strength of the Holy Spirit to become authentic witnesses of Christ spreading faith in word and deed". He explains that Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist are the sacraments of Christian initiation which render the Christian “adult and perfect”.
Archbishop Luis Villalba recalls that “every person who has been baptised and confirmed is a missionary sent by God to proclaim salvation to the ends of the earth and this sacrament renders us public witnesses of the faith, Confirmation is a point of departure for evangelisation and witness”. The Archbishop of Tucumán hopes his catechesis "will be the best preparation to reach the objective of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan: that every individual and Catholic in every Catholic community joins in the great archdiocesan mission for new evangelisation…everyone must feel called by name to mission and evangelisation". (RG) (Agenzia Fides 12/3/2007; righe 16, parole 216)
