MANILA, September 17, 2012—As a part of the on-going formation for all the catechists of the Archdiocese of Manila, 253 catechists and 9 coordinators from the Catechetical Foundation of the Archdiocese of Manila (CFAM) held a workshop at the San Carlos Pastoral Formation Complex in Makati City last July 20.
Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) National Director Fr. Socrates Mesiona, MSP, talked about mission as the primary task of the Church.
“The heart and soul of the Church is mission and its task is to preach the Good News to the world and to make Jesus be known to all. Mission on the other hand is a call, the vocation for all baptized persons because it is what Christ did on earth. This mission is a task entrusted by Christ to the Church,” Mesiona said.
“The Gospel has to be proclaimed to all nation, men and women of all ages, according to the Church Magisterium. So far, the mission in our times is still very far from what God has desired. And in our country, there are still areas that need missionaries,” he added.
Mesiona pointed out that with the advent of the new evangelization, the four pillars of mission should be focused such as: the involvement of the lay people, brothers and sisters in the faith, priests, seminarians and men and women religious; bringing good news to the poor, that the Church here must become a Church for and with the poor; reaching-out to all those who have drifted from the Catholic faith and have joined other sects; and lastly, the awakening or re-awakening in faith, forming and animating in Christian life our young people in both urban and rural areas.
He introduced the PMS that aims to promote vocation and increase the missionary consciousness of all the baptized. He also discussed the four missionary congregations namely: Propagation of Faith, St. Peter the Apostles, Missionary Union and the Holy Childhood. (Jandel Posion)
