Vatican City (Fides Service) - “The miracle of mission, the proclamation of the Gospel to all peoples is impossible unless the disciple is united with the Lord. Without him our fishing will be fruitless. Without the power of the Word, disappointment and pessimism will prevail in the life of the disciples”, Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples said in his homily during Mass in the Chapel of Urban University for the opening of the academic year. At times in the life of individuals and communities missionary spirit tends to wane because people prefer an easy life, without difficulties or risks “or because we give in to the temptation to think that it is impossible to communicate the Gospel to everyone”. To avoid these situations the Cardinal said “we need to change, we need to be shaken by the Spirit, as at Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit led the apostles closed in the upper room for fear to go out and communicate to all peoples without distinction the Gospel of the Lord who died and is Risen. The Gospel seems to say that only those who trust in the Word of Jesus and acts accordingly can recognise Him”.
In his homily Cardinal Sepe spoke of the difficult times humanity faces today. “Terrorism and war threaten the already fragile co-existence. We might be tempted to think it would be useless and old fashioned to say that the response must be a new boldness in proclaiming the Gospel of the Risen Lord. But this is our response. It is the response which Christ expects from us. Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ who died and is risen, will make our university become a school of missionary spirituality and a research laboratory on the different aspects of the Church’s missionary activity”.
After the Mass and solemn invocation of the Holy Spirit students, teachers and guests moved to the Aula Magna for the officially opening of the Academic year 2004-2005.
At the end of the Mass the Rector Mgr Giuseppe Cavallotto, thanked Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe and all the others present, bishops, ambassadors, delegates, teachers and pupils and highlighted the excellent role of the university as a point of reference for the formation of new missionaries
He also mentioned two major events this year, the final approval of University Statutes and Regulations and the preparation of a Missiological Congress to mark the anniversaries of the publication of the Decree Ad Gentes (Vatican II) and the encyclicals Evangelii Nuntiandi (Paul VI) and Redemptoris Missio John Paul II. (12/10/2004 Agenzia Fides; Righe:39; Parole:468)