Missionary Day: Everyone is a player in evangelisation, says Card Filoni

During the presentation of this year's Missionary Day, the focus was on bearing witness and proclaiming Christ guided by love for the Lord and people. In 2019, the Extraordinary Missionary Month that Pope Francis announced will be held October to mark the 100th anniversary of the Apostolic Letter of Pope Benedict XV, "Maximum Illud", which changed the missionary attitude of the Church.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – The theme of the Missionary Month Pope Francis announced for October 2019 will be ‘Baptised and sent: The Church of Christ on a mission in the world’ to mark the centennial of the Apostolic Letter ‘Maximum Illud’ issued by Pope Benedict XV, which changed the missionary attitude of the Church.

PIME’S Fr Fabrizio Meroni spoke about it during this morning’s presentation of this year's Mission Day. He also underlined the link between the Synod for the Amazon and the Extraordinary Month of October 2019. The Pope in fact wants both to represent the Church's unique passion for evangelisation.

Pope Francis issued on 20 May a message titled ‘Together with the young, let us bring the Gospel to all’ in conjunction with the Synod on Young People, Card Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, said.

Card Filoni noted that with the first words – "Dear young people, I would like to reflect with you on the mission that we have received from Christ – Francis emphasised to young people that everyone is tasked with the mission and a vocation, and that everyone is player in the Church's mission, which is to proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the world.

This means overcoming borders, which are not only geographical, Filoni stressed. In fact, many peoples have not heard the first proclamation – two-thirds of the world's population in fact – and many communities who have need a second evangelisation. Thus, the Church's task is not finished.

It is important, said Card Filoni answering a reporter’s question, to understand how the concept of mission has matured over time within the Church. From an almost 'colonialist' attitude it has become a proposal that respects the culture and identity of each people.

It is not about proselytising but about bearing witness and proclaiming Christ guided by love for the Lord and people. Citing Saint Peter, he said that an explanation must be given to anyone “who asks you for a reason for your hope”.

The prefect also noted that the Gospel, through the Church, is a great asset for the places where it finds social expression in schools, hospitals, outreach, dialogue and peaceful coexistence.

In many parts of the world, Churches were created recently or are growing, aware that they act as missionaries for their territories through the support of the universal Church as well as the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples.

This Day, said Mgr Giampietro Dal Toso, president of the Pontifical Mission Societies, marks the high point of support by two means: first of all, prayer, because faith is always, however, a gift from God; and secondly the offerings collected during Eucharistic celebrations on the Sunday in which the Day is celebrated. In fact, the missionary work needs such concrete support to go forward.

Regarding fundraising, Mgr Dal Toso explained how young local Churches are encouraged to be administratively transparent putting to good use the financial contributions they receive.

To a question about the results of such collection, the president of the Pontifical Mission Societies said that it corresponds to the development of a people's sense of affiliation with the Church and the faith.

At the same time, in many societies that have experienced secularisation, offerings have been on the decline. Yet, even in some European countries there has been some growth recently. And offerings during Mass are not the only way to raise money. Plans are underway to vet other paths such as the Internet.

• vatican
• missionary day
• filoni
• meroni
• pime
• secularisation