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| P. Marcello Zago, OMI Pr. and prosp. common to all inst. of cons. life in the miss. ad gentes IntraText CT - Text |
Consecrated life has always been active in the mission throughout the Church's history and has made a considerable contribution in different times and places. In recent decades there have been numerous rapid changes which have given rise to new problems and which have influenced the missionary commitment of these people who are still a considerable force in missionary activity. If we take into consideration both men and women religious, the members of these Institutes are the majority of those involved in missionary activity. In Africa and Asia, four out every ten priests are religious and in Oceania and Latin America five out of every ten. The proportion of diocesan priests is on the increase everywhere although there is now a worldwide increase in the number of religious vocations.
If we take the 1960s as a marker, in other words the years of Vatican Council II, we can see that there have been profound changes at every level. There have been changes at the social, cultural, economic and political levels. There have also been religious and ecclesial changes. All these changes have conditioned the lives and the missionary commitment of the Institutes of Consecrated Life and they have caused problems and tension. They have also occasioned dynamism and creativity. We must always look at both sides of the coin as has been pointed out in the missionary encyclical (cf. RM 2, 32). During these years there have been new theological and pastoral outlooks and insights, some of which have been wayward and others enriching. With the help of theological reflection, the magisterium of the Council, the Synods, the Pope and the Bishops has been able to develop a deeper understanding of the purpose and the activity of the mission ad gentes.
There are two parts to this text. The first part deals with the problems which affect the mission in general and the consecrated people who are committed to it. Some of these are sociological but nonetheless important. Others are ecclesial and must not be separated from the global context. The second part presents the theologico-operative outlook for the Institutes of consecrated life.