Vatican City (Fides Service) - This morning Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, presented the new edition of “Guida delle Missioni Cattoliche 2005” to Pope John Paul II who voiced his appreciation and gratitude for the volume and all those who worked to prepare it. The book is available in Italian only.
Father Giancarlo Girardi, S.V.D., Procurator General of the Divine Word Missionaries was in charge of the preparation of this new edition printed on 31 October 2004. The last edition was issued in 1989. The book contains updated figures and maps regarding the Churches in mission territories and information on the situation of the Church in the different ecclesiastical circumscriptions as well as activity in evangelisation and human promotion; church personnel, local clergy, always on the increase and missionaries working with unswerving commitment all over the world. The book also contains brief notes on the story of the local churches and the work of evangelisation through the centuries.
A short introduction illustrates the activity of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples and the Pontifical Mission Societies. The book also reveals some new significant aspects of mission ad gentes".
Since 1989 altogether 134 new ecclesiastical circumscriptions EC have been created and about 150 have been altered. Today the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples CEP is responsible for almost 30% of the total number of the Church’s ecclesiastical circumscriptions that is 1,069 as follows: 180 Metropolitan archdioceses, 750 Dioceses, 1 territorial abbacy, 72 Vicariate Apostolic, 45 Prefecture Apostolic, 4 Administration Apostolic, 11 Missions "sui iuris" and 6 Military Ordinariates. Most of the EC under the CEP are in Africa 477; followed by 453 in Asia,; 80 in America; 45 in Oceania and 14 in Europe.
Statistics provided permit an update of some significant aspects of the quantity of activity in mission territories. Out of a total population of 2,850 million, Catholics are 200 million, or 7.02%, distributed by continent as follows: 20.23% in Africa, 56.88% in America, 1.8% in Asia, 10.8% in Europe and 25.9% in Oceania.
Church personnel involved in "Mission ad gentes" includes 85,000 priests, (52, 000 diocesan 33,000 Religious), distributed as follows: 27,000 in Africa; 44,000 in Asia; 6,000 in America; 5,000 in Oceania; 3,000 in Europe. They are assisted by 28,000 Brothers; 45.000 women Religious and 1,650,000 Catechists. The CEP also provides for the spiritual and academic formation of students for the priesthood at 280 major Seminaries and 110 minor seminaries.
The book also reveals the CEP efforts to build new chapels and churches especially in rural areas as well as schools about 42.000; healthcare centres (1,600 hospitals, 6,000 dispensaries, 780 leprosy centres); charity and social initiatives (12,000).
In a presentation of the new Guide to Catholic Missions Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe writes: "I hope this book will stimulate missionaries to strive to give new impulse to their missionary activity and work ever more closely with the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples to enable it to be faithful to its mandate to: proclaim Christ to all peoples. Looking at progress illustrated in this new edition of the Guide we see that the effects of evangelisation are truly impressive and marvellous. The path of evangelisation is studded with champions of faith and charity, who with their dedication to mission have written and continue to write the story of the Church.
We decided to publish this new edition around the Feast of the Epiphany, always the feast of Missions for our Congregation. The Church has travelled a long way and the road ahead is still long. Let us travel it together sustained by faith, hope and charity that we may be witnesses of the Risen Christ and the Good News of his Gospel". (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 31/1/2005)

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