Year of the Faith: Dare more for the proclamation of the Gospel and expand missionary cooperation

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - "Evangelization is an activity that lies in the heart of the Church. It is not the work of solitary navigators, on the contrary it accompanies and is associated to the path of God's people Consequently, we must identify and take part in the ecclesiastical events which this year have a particular relevance and significance; I am referring to the Year of Faith, the Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization and the 50th anniversary of the II Vatican Council." This is what the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Cardinal Fernando Filoni emphasized in his speech at the General Assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS), which opened yesterday, May 7, at the home of the Salesians in Rome (see Fides 03/05/2012).

Speaking to the National Directors of the PMS from around the world for their annual meeting, Cardinal Filoni emphasized that "the Year of Faith challenges us directly and asks us, the Congregation and the Pontifical Societies, maximum commitment and active participation. It is a grace and an opportunity offered to us to authenticate our service, to dare more for the proclamation of the Gospel and to expand in quantity and quality missionary cooperation."

Regarding the next Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, to be held in October on the new evangelization, Cardinal Filoni highlighted that "the Synod is an event that touches us closely, because the ordinary pastoral care, the new evangelization and evangelization ad gentes are parts of an ecclesial ministry interconnected and interdependent. The Church is walking quickly in the world if it uses both the first evangelization and the new evangelization; in this way it renders full service to the Gospel and to the People of God ". The 50th anniversary of the opening of the II Vatican "must also be an opportunity to review the documents of the II Vatican Council, recommended the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, citing in particular two Constitutions , Lumen Gentium and Gaudium et Spes, and the Decree Ad Gentes.

Finally, the Cardinal Prefect focused briefly on some aspects of life and activity of the PMS, citing among other things, the commitment to the Church in China, "which is going through a positive moment for evangelization, but also critical for relationships, made difficult in appointing bishops. We try - said Cardinal Filoni - even through modern means of communication, to make the voice of the Church and the Holy See heard to those who are confused because of this situation. The Congregation is committed to bringing clarity and to coming out of ambiguity that so far the Church in China have not benefited from."

SL  - Agenzia Fides (8 May 2012)

Source: www.fides.org