Pope says Church is One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic as well as Missionary

(May 28, 2007) Church is one, holy, catholic, apostolic - and missionary, says Benedict XVI. Before reciting the traditional Sunday midday ‘angelus’ prayer with a large crowd in St. Peter’s Square on Pentecost Sunday, the Holy Father explained the significance of Pentecost which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Virgin Mary and the Apostles gathered in the Cenacle 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection. The event which marks the solemn birth of the Church, the Pope said, points to "the essential and qualifying marks of the Church," which are professed by the faithful in the Creed – i.e. one, holy, catholic and apostolic. To these he said is added another mark – namely the Church is missionary by its nature. From the day of Pentecost, the Pope explained, the Holy Spirit does not cease to move the Church along the roads of the world to the ends of the earth and to the end of time." Pope Benedict said he sees a symbol of the missionary nature of the Church "in the passage of the Gospel from the Jews to the pagans, from Jerusalem to Rome." "Rome represents the pagan world and therefore all peoples who are outside the ancient people of God," the Pope said. "In fact, the Acts conclude with the arrival of the Gospel in Rome. "We can say, then, that Rome is the concrete name of the catholicity and missionary spirit of the Church; it expresses fidelity to the origins, to the Church of all times, to a Church that speaks in all languages and goes out to meet every culture." Pope Benedict urged prayers so that the Holy Spirit may descend abundantly upon the Church of our time and fill the hearts of all the faithful and enkindle in them the fire of his love.