Unity is the source of missionary work, Holy Trinity its model, archbishop of Bangkok says
Bangkok (AsiaNews) - "Unity is the beginning, the foundational element and source of missionary work” whilst the “Holy Trinity is the most perfect model of unity,” said Mgr Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij, archbishop of Bangkok, in a message released on the occasion of the upcoming World Mission Day set for next Sunday, 24 October. Established in 1924 by Pope Pius XI to encourage the faithful to proclaim the Gospel, the day represents an invitation for the “Christian faithful, conscious of their responsibility, [. . .] to assume their part in missionary work” in announcing the Good News because “the whole Church is by its nature missionary”.
In his message, the archbishop of Bangkok underscores the importance of “a ‘culture of love’ that Christ offered to the whole of humanity, one that recalls the perfect unity of the Universal Church and, locally, that of Thai Church.”
“Proclaiming the Good News within the unity of God with our brothers and sisters in Christ” is a duty, the prelate said. It is a task that must be performed “every day” through love and service.
Lastly, Mgr Kovithavanij reiterated the pastoral directives issued by the Bishops’ Conference of Thailand for the 2010-2015 period in which the importance of “parish communities” is stressed for they are the backbone of the unity in Christ through “the Eucharist and prayer”.
In order to achieve the goal of unity in the mission of proclaiming the Good News, the Church can rely on three foundational elements. According to the first one, the faithful must live in harmony and bear witness to Christ in their daily life. In the second, the faithful, parishioners, organisations linked to the Church and Catholic schools must exhibit their identity in Christ in their daily work. Third and last, the faithful must cooperate with everyone, irrespective of religion, in building and developing society, through inter-faith dialogue and proclaiming the Good News to all.
“In Thailand, all the faithful must join the Catholic Church and bear witness to the spirit of love and mission,” said Fr Somkiat Boonanantrabutra, head of the missionary division of the Archdiocese of Bangkok.
In today’s world, we must fight “against materialism”, he explained; hence, God must be “at the centre of missionary work” as indicated by this year’s theme—the unity of the Church is the basic element of evangelisation.
Thailand’s Catholic Church is small, only some 300,000 members out of a population of 63 million, 95 per cent Buddhist.
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