III. Current problems concerning the Mission Ad Gentes

Even before the Council, in 1943, two French priests published a book: La France, pays de mission? The response was a positive one. Saving souls in Paris is the first task. Missionaries are not those who set out for distant lands but those who work in our cities among non-believers. The sixth congress of the International Missionary Council, held in Mexico in 1963, had as its title "mission dans six continents"; mission does not have geographic borders, and is to be conducted on all six continents. As a result of this mentality a not too insignificant number of institutes of the consecrated life put the brakes on their missionary thrust. If all of the Church’s activity is missionary, what is the need for going elsewhere, for the mission ad gentes?.

This problem is apparent in the "language of mission". ...There is a certain hesitation to use the terms "missions" and "missionaries", which are considered obsolete... (RM 32).

As a final thesis we can say that the specific missionary activity, the mission ad gentes which involves setting off for the countries in which Christ has not yet been proclaimed, where the Church has not yet sunk its roots, or where the culture has not yet been influenced by the Gospel, is still a current need (RM 34).

The mission ad gentes faces an enormous task, which is in no way disappearing (RM 35).

Missionary activity has been defined in terms of its relationship to specific territories, and this territorial dimension is still important for determining responsibility, tasks and urgent needs. It is true that today

Even in traditionally Christian countries there are regions that are under the special structures of the mission ad gentes, with groups and areas not yet evangelised. Thus, in these countries too there is a need not only for a new evangelisation, but also, in some cases, for an initial evangelisation. (RM 37).

Let us take, for example, the phenomenon of the many non-Christians who have immigrated to "Christian" countries. However, this evangelisation ad gentes is no substitute for the former, which is still in its beginning phase, as the Pope reminds us (RM 1,37).

Thus the criterion of geography, although somewhat imprecise and always provisional, is still a valid indicator (RM 37).

Nor should we forget the situation of the countries that have not been evangelised. We need only think of Asia, with 12.2% of the world’s population, while only 13.6% of them are Catholic. Faced with this situation, especially in regard to Asia, one can see the urgent need for "setting out". Whoever "conquers" Asia will "conquer" the world. This is the reason the Pope reminds us twice of the urgency of the situation in Asia (RM 37). Perhaps the institutes with a special relationship to missionary activity have too often overlooked Asia, which does present some difficulties.

Notwithstanding the high number of dioceses, there are still very large areas where there are no local Churches or where their number is insufficient.... There is still much to be done in implanting and developing the Church (RM 49).

The specific nature of this mission ad gentes consists in its being addressed to "non-Christians". It is therefore necessary to ensure that this specifically "missionary work that Jesus entrusted and still entrusts each day to his Church" does not become an indistinguishable part of the overall mission of the whole People of God and as a result become neglected or forgotten (RM 34).

Despite this, today we can and must speak about the mission ad gentes within our countries that have already been evangelised and in our cities, but without forgetting or neglecting the missions beyond our milieu. The Pope makes an appeal to open ourselves to the universality of the Church, avoiding every form of provincialism and exclusiveness; one of the dangers is thatthe older Churches, involved in new evangelisation, may think that their mission is now at home, and thus they may risk slackening their drive towards the non-Christian world.... On the other hand, the young Churches are concerned about their own identity, about inculturation, and about their freedom to grow independently of external influences, with the possible result that they close their doors to missionaries. To these Churches I say: Do not isolate yourselves; willingly accept missionaries and support from other Churches, and do likewise throughout the world (RM 85).

Certainly, although there is an urgent need for the new evangelisation, it does not replace the specific mission ad gentes.

By giving generously of what we have, we shall receive... (RM 85, 34 to the end).

Faith is strengthened when it is given to others! (RM 2).

Theologically this fact is founded in the communion among the Churches, and it has its foundation in the Bible.

Seeking to maintain a healthy independence and to find their own identity, the young churches often fall into the phenomenon of isolationism (EN 64). In this context we should recall the countless independent Churches of South Africa. And "missiologists" are of the opinion that this phenomenon will increase in the coming years. In order to safeguard the authenticity of a particular Church, it must remain open to the universal Church and united to the "visible centre of its life" (EN 64).

It is true, as the documents of the Church mention, that from a false interpretation of new and authentic theological ideas, quite a few people - and members of institutes of consecrated life among them - have been led to neglect the mission ad gentes: An example of this is that salvation is available to all people.

God can indeed effect the salvation of whomsoever he wishes by extraordinary means known to him alone.... It would be a useful exercise for every member of the faithful and every evangeliser to meditate prayerfully on this consideration: men may attain salvation, even though the Gospel is not preached to them, by other ways...; if, however, through lack of zeal of lack of courage, ... or in deference to false theories, we fail to proclaim the Gospel, can we ourselves be saved? (EN 80, mentioned also in RM 36).

Now it is a question of our salvation because we are abandoning the paths indicated by God, the ordinary paths that God desires.

There is a relationship between the renewal of the consecrated life and its openness to the mission. Today there are less consecrated missionaries (I do not have the exact statistics), and at the same time the number of vocations to the consecrated life has diminished greatly. Might there not be a relationship between these two situations?