Receiving the national directors of the Pontifical Missionary Society, Benedict XVI underlines the need for mission, although "the messengers of the Gospel," continue to be persecuted. A thought for Father Massimo Cenci, who passed away this morning: "The Lord reward him for all the work he accomplished in mission and service of the Holy See."

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "Every man and every people has the right to receive the Gospel of truth": this "paradigm of all Apostolic action of the Church," explains the need, still today, for mission, although "in this phase of economic, cultural and political change, where often the only human being feels alone, in anguish and despair, the messengers of the Gospel, even though announcers of hope and peace, continue to be persecuted like their Master and Lord. " Benedict XVI today expressed his support for the work of evangelization, addressing the national directors of the Pontifical Missions Society, received during the annual meeting of the Governing Council.

At the beginning, a thought "my own and that of all of you" was dedicated by Pope to Father Massimo Cenci, secretary of Propaganda Fide, who "died suddenly. May the Lord reward him for all the work he accomplished in mission and service of Holy See. "

The proclamation of the Gospel, Benedict XVI also said "on no few occasion brings misery and suffering; the growth of the Kingdom of God in the world, in fact, often comes at the cost of the blood of his servants." "But, despite the problems and the tragic reality of persecution, the Church is not discouraged, she remains faithful to her Lord's command, the awareness that "throughout Christian history,, martyrs, that is, "witnesses," have always been numerous and indispensable to the spread of the Gospel "(John Paul II, Redemptoris Missio, 45). The message of Christ, past and present, can not conform to the logic of this world, because it is prophecy and deliverance, it is the seed of a new humanity that is growing, and which only the end of time will have its full realization. "

"Evangelization, which is always urgent, in these times impels the Church to work with ever quickening steps on the path of the world, to bring knowledge of Christ to every man. Only in the Truth, in fact, that is Christ Himself , can humanity discover the meaning of existence, to find salvation and grow in justice and peace. "

"Today mission needs to renew its trust in the action of God; it needs intense prayer so that His Kingdom will be done on earth as in heaven. W need to invoke light and strength from the Holy Spirit, and commit ourselves with decision and generosity to usher in, in a sense, " a new era of proclamation of the Gospel ... not only because, after two millennia, a major part of the human family still does not acknowledge Christ, but also because the situation in which the Church and the world find themselves at the threshold of the new millennium is particularly challenging for religious belief and the moral truths which spring from it"(John Paul II, Ecclesia in Asia, 29). I am therefore very pleased to encourage the project of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and the Pontifical Missions Societies in supporting the Year of Faith. This project provides a worldwide campaign, which, through the prayer of the Holy Rosary, accompany the work of evangelizing the world and for many of the baptized to rediscover and deepen the faith " .

 

 

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