Missionaries and
Religious Institutes Ad Gentes
65. Now,
as in the past, among those involved in the missionary apostolate a place of
fundamental importance is held by the persons and institutions to whom the
Decree Ad Gentes devotes the special chapter entitled
"Missionaries."128 This requires careful reflection,
especially on the part of missionaries themselves, who may be led, as a result
of changes occurring within the missionary field, no longer to understand the
meaning of their vocation and no longer to know exactly what the Church expects
of them today.
The following words of the
Council are a point of reference: "Although the task of spreading the
faith, to the best of one's ability, falls to each disciple of Christ, the Lord
always calls from the number of his disciples those whom he wishes, so that
they may be with him and that he may send them to preach to the nations.
Accordingly, through the Holy Spirit, who distributes his gifts as he wishes
for the good of all, Christ stirs up a missionary vocation in the hearts of
individuals, and at the same time raises up in the Church those institutes
which undertake the duty of evangelization, which is the responsibility of the
whole Church, as their special task."129
What is involved,
therefore, is a "special vocation," patterned on that of the
apostles. It is manifested in a total commitment to evangelization, a
commitment which involves the missionary's whole person and life, and demands a
self giving without limits of energy or time. Those who have received this
vocation, "sent by legitimate authority, go out, in faith and obedience,
to those who are far from Christ, set aside for the work to which they have
been called as ministers of the Gospel."130 Missionaries must
always meditate on the response demanded by the gift they have received, and
continually keep their doctrinal and apostolic formation up to date.
66.
Missionary institutes, drawing from their experience and creativity while
remaining faithful to their founding charism, must employ all means necessary
to ensure the adequate preparation of candidates and the renewal of their
members' spiritual, moral and physical energies.131 They should sense
that they are a vital part of the ecclesial community and should carry out
their work in communion with it. Indeed, "every institute exists for the Church
and must enrich her with its distinctive characteristics, according to a
particular spirit and a specific mission"; the guardians of this fidelity
to the founding charism are the bishops themselves.132
In general, missionary
institutes came into being in churches located in traditionally Christian
countries, and historically they have been the means employed by the
Congregation of Propaganda Fide for the spread of the faith and the
founding of new churches. Today, these institutes are receiving more and more
candidates from the young churches which they founded, while new missionary
institutes have arisen in countries which previously only received
missionaries, but are now also sending them. This is a praiseworthy trend which
demonstrates the continuing validity and relevance of the specific missionary
vocation of these institutes. They remain "absolutely
necessary,"133 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.
The special vocation of
missionaries "for life" retains all its validity: it is the
model of the Church's missionary commitment, which always stands in need of
radical and total self-giving, of new and bold endeavors. Therefore the men and
women missionaries who have devoted their whole lives to bearing witness to the
risen Lord among the nations must not allow themselves to be daunted by doubts,
misunderstanding, rejection or persecution. They should revive the grace of
their specific charism and courageously press on, preferring - in a spirit of
faith, obedience and communion with their pastors - to seek the lowliest and
most demanding places.
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