2. Difficulties in both the initial and on-going formation of the members of missionary Institutes

The not always clear understanding of the place of Christ in salvation as well as the primacy of the Church's mandate to preach the Gospel to all nations, and to establish the mystery of the Church have had their repercussions in some Institutes' approach to both initial and on-going formation programmes. If Christ is not the only Saviour, and if persons can be saved outside the Church, and if various religions can be valid ways of salvation, why the urgency of the missionary mandate? why not be satisfied simply with formation or preparation for inter-religious dialogue and various apostolic activities involving human promotion? The answer to this question has been given by Paul VI in EN, nn 21, 51, 53 and by our present Holy Father in RM, 31-40; 65-66; 79-80.