Pope tasks Catholics on evangelisation

The Catholic Pontiff, Pope Francis, has told Catholic faithful to be courageous and supportive of the work of evangelisation, in spite of the challenges facing missionaries around the world. The Pope’s message is contained in a statement made available on Sunday in Abuja on the occasion of the `World Mission Sunday’. The World Mission Sunday, is a day set aside by the Catholic Church, to celebrate and acknowledge the efforts of the clergy and other missionaries in the work of evangelisation. On the day, Catholic communities around the world make donations to support the cause of evangelisation. According to the Pope, “this year’s celebration presents an important opportunity to strengthen our friendship with the Lord and our journey as a church that preaches the gospel with courage’’. The statement said that faith was God’s precious gift, which opened the mind to know and love Him, and allowed man to strengthen his relationship with God. It stated that the missionary spirit was not only about geographical territories but about people, cultures and individuals hence the need for Christians to be strong in faith. It stressed that the “boundaries of faith do not only cross places and human traditions but the heart of each man and each woman. “Each community is therefore, challenged, and invited to make its own contribution to the spread of the word of God. “ That is the mandate entrusted by Jesus to the apostles, to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. “This, not as a secondary aspect of Christian life, but as its essential aspect: “We are all invited to walk the streets of the world with our brothers and sisters, proclaiming and witnessing to our faith in Christ and making ourselves heralds of his gospel. “The work of evangelisation often finds obstacles, not only externally but also from within the ecclesiastic community, sometimes there is lack of fervour, joy and courage; “We must always have the courage and the joy of proposing, with respect, an encounter with Christ and being heralds of His Gospel,’’ Francis was quoted as saying. The Pope acknowledged the difficulties posed by emerging technologies, insecurity, attack on Christians and other obstacles to freedom of worship around the world, as challenges that must be addressed. It urged the church community worldwide not to despair in the face of the difficulties but to strive to emerge stronger and more courageous in support of the mission. It called for prayers and support for bishops, priests and other leaders of the church in their task of evangelisation. “In this complex situation, the horizon of the present and future seems threatened by menacing clouds. “It is necessary to proclaim courageously and in very situation, the gospel of Christ, a message of hope, reconciliation, communion, proclamation of God’s closeness as well as his mercy for mankind. “I would like to encourage everyone to be a bearer of the good news of Christ and I am grateful, especially to missionaries, the priests as well as men and women of faith. “More and more people who by accepting the Lord’s call, leave their homelands to serve the gospel in different lands and cultures must be appreciated,” it stated. The statement urged faithful to pray for peace all over the world, especially in areas where Christians are not allowed to openly profess their faith for whatever reasons. It expressed the Pope’s hope that the clergies and faithful would someday be fulfilled and glorified in their works of evangelism Culled from Vanguard Newspaper