2.3 Reawaken the sense of mission

One of the major challenges for the whole Church is the reawakening of a sense of mission, adopting the genuine motives for dedicating oneself to that calling, finding concrete forms of dedication to the mission. This was the objective of Redemptoris Missio and it is one of the major concerns of the Pope. The world situation requires this awakening when the number of non-Christians is increasing proportionately. It is required by the very nature of the Church, of every church and of every Christian community. It is only if the Church is missionary in the strongest sense of the word in relation to non-Christians, that it is authentic. This is the principal mandate given to us by Christ (cf. RM 22.23). "Missionary activity renews the Church, revitalizes faith and Christian identity, and offers fresh enthusiasm and new incentive. Faith is strengthened when it is given to others. It is in commitment to the Church's universal mission that the new evangelization of Christian peoples will find inspiration and support" (RM 2). This is the first duty of the churches and of pastors at the different levels in their own territories and in consideration of the universal mission.

Transmitting the missionary spirit with all that it entails is the great challenge facing the missionary Institutes and the local churches. The future depends on the missions.

The missionary encyclical speaks of the specific contribution of the various Institutes (cf. RM 69-70). It reminds those who are devoted by vocation to the mission ad gentes that they represent "an example of the Church's missionary commitment. They continue to be absolutely necessary not only for missionary activity ad gentes in keeping with their tradition but also for stirring up missionary fervor both in the churches of traditionally Christian countries and in the younger churches" (RM66),

Answering the missionary needs ad gentes requires missionaries from all the churches. This will give new vigor to the churches themselves and will promote the evangelization of peoples which is the Church's duty. The promotion of missionary vocations is the duty of the Bishops (RM 64) and of the whole community (RM 79-80).