Pope’s message for World Mission Sunday

(January 25, 2012)The Church needs to return to the same apostolic zeal of the first Christian communities, who although small and defenceless, were able to proclaim and give witness to the Gospel and spread its message throughout the world, Pope Benedict XVI says in his message for this year’s World Mission Sunday. The theme of the message for World Mission Sunday to be celebrated 21st October is ''Called to give the light of the Word of truth.'' Pope Benedict observes that one of the obstacles to evangelization today is the crisis of faith, not only in the western world but for a great part of humanity, which however, also hungers and thirsts for God, a desire that must be fulfilled, he says. The Pope explains that the 50^th anniversary of the Council Decree Ad Gentes, the opening Year of the faith, and the synod of bishops on the theme of new evangelization, all taking place this year, together reaffirm the will of the Church to engage with greater courage and zeal in preaching the Gospel to those, who do not yet know Christ. In his message for World Mission Sunday, Pope Benedict is urging the Church to continually change its lifestyles, diocesan pastoral planning and organization to the mission of the Church, especially in today’s changing world. In conclusion, Pope Benedict thanks the Pontifical Mission Societies, and expresses his appreciation for the churches in mission territories; churches that are mostly young and often recently established, for whom missionary duty has become natural, even if they themselves are still in need of missionaries.