Ad Gentes 41

It’s a good way to go out with our examination of the documents of Vatican II. We conclude Ad Gentes with a discussion of the role of the laity in promoting and supporting the work of the missions.

Lay(women and) men cooperate in the Church’s work of evangelization; as witnesses and at the same time as living instruments, they share in her saving mission; especially if they have been called by God and have been accepted by the bishop for this work.

Promoting vocations to the missions is part of our role:

In those lands which are already Christian, lay(women and) men cooperate in the work of evangelization by nurturing in themselves and in others a knowledge and love of the missions; by stimulating vocations in their own family, in Catholic associations, and in the schools; by offering subsidies of every kind, that they may offer to others that gift of Faith which they have received gratis.

We also are to serve as models for the laity of young churches, and promote the lay apostolate even as we are called to assist others in the discernment of priesthood or religious life.
But in mission lands, let (the laity), whether foreigners or autochthonous, teach in schools, administer temporal goods cooperate in parish and diocesan activities, and organize and promote various forms of the lay apostolate, in order that the faithful of the young churches may be able to take part as soon as possible in the life of the Church.

The “pay” of “pray, pay, and obey”  falls to us … still. As it should.
Lastly, let lay(people) gladly offer socio-economic cooperation to peoples on the way of development. This cooperation is all the more to be praised, the more it concerns itself with founding institutes which touch on the basic structures of social life, or which are oriented to the training of those who bear the responsibility for the government.

Lay people support the effort of “dialogue.”

Worthy of special praise are those lay(people) who, in universities or in scientific institutes, promote by their historical and scientific religious research the knowledge of peoples and of religions; thus helping the heralds of the Gospel, and preparing for the dialogue with non-Christians.

We also keep ecumenism and interfaith aspects in mind:

They should cooperate in a (familial) spirit with other Christians, with non-Christians, and with members of international organizations, aways having before their eyes the fact that “the building up of the earthly city should have its foundation in the Lord, and should be directed towards Him.”

And we should be trained to do all this:
 

To be equal to all these tasks, laymen (and women) need the necessary technical and spiritual preparation, which should be given in institutes destined for this; so that their lives may be a witness for Christ among non-Christians, according to the words of the Apostle: “Do not be a stumbling – block to Jews and Greeks and to the Church of God, even as I myself in all things please all (people), not seeking what is profitable to myself but to the many, that they may be saved.” (1 Cor. 10:32-33).

It seems appropriate that a careful and reflective reading of this document would be a good start for either an active, faithful Catholic, or college students. How would you take the next step for yourself, for your family or parish, or for the Church universal, were you to have something to do or say in this regard?

 

Ad Gentes 40

Ad Gentes turns to the role of men and women religious who are not explicitly missionaries:

Religious institutes of the contemplative and of the active life have so far played, and still do play, the main role in the evangelization of the world. This sacred synod gladly acknowledges their merits and thanks God for all that they have expended for the glory of God and the service of souls while exhorting them to go on untiringly in the work which they have begun, since they know that the virtue of charity, which by reason of their vocation they are bound to practice with greater perfection, obliges and impels them to a truly catholic spirit and work.

Institutes of the contemplative life, by their prayers, sufferings, and works of penance have a very great importance in the conversion of souls, because it is God who sends workers into His harvest when He is asked to do so (cf. Matt. 9:38) God who opens the minds of non-Christians to hear the Gospel (cf. Acts 16:14), and God who fructifies the word of salvation in their hearts (cf. 1 Cor. 3:7). In fact, these institutes are asked to found houses in mission areas, as not a few of them have already done, so that there, living out their lives in a way accommodated to the truly religious traditions of the people, they can bear excellent witness among non – Christians to the majesty and love of God, as well as to our union in Christ.

Institutes of the active life, whether they pursue a strictly mission ideal or not, should ask themselves sincerely in the presence of God, whether they would not be able to extend their activity for the expansion of the Kingdom of God among the nations; whether they could possibly leave certain ministries to others so that they themselves could expend their forces for the missions, whether they could possibly undertake activity in the missions, adapting their constitutions if necessary, but according to the spirit of their founder; whether their members are involved as totally as possible in the mission effort; and whether their type of life is a witness to the Gospel accommodated to the character and condition of the people.

Now since, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, secular institutes are daily increasing in the Church, their activity, under the authority of the bishop, could be fruitful in the missions in many ways as a sign of complete dedication to the evangelization of the world.

Any thoughts on these principles, especially from non-missionary religious women or men?

 

Ad Gentes 39

Ad Gentes addresses the role of the parish priest. If any clergy wish to offer input on this section, feel free to do so.

Priests personally represent Christ, and are collaborators of the order of bishops in that threefold sacred task which by its very nature belongs to the mission of the Church. Therefore, they should fully understand that their life is also consecrated to the service of the missions. Now because by means of their own ministry – which consists principally in the Eucharist which perfects the Church – they are in communion with Christ the Head and are leading others to this communion, they cannot help but feel how much is yet wanting to the fullness of that Body, and how much therefore must be done that it may grow from day to day. They shall therefore plan their pastoral care in such a way that it will serve to spread the Gospel among non-Christians.

In their pastoral activities, priests should stir up and preserve amid the faithful a zeal for the evangelization of the world, by instructing them in sermons and in Christian doctrine courses about the Church’s task of announcing Christ to all nations; by enlightening Christian families about the necessity and the honor of fostering missionary vocations among their own sons and daughters, by promoting mission fervor in young people from the schools and Catholic associations so that among them there may arise future heralds of the Gospel. Let priests teach the faithful to pray for the missions, and let them not be ashamed to ask alms of them for this purpose, becoming like beggars for Christ and for the salvation of souls.

Teachers, too have a responsible role with young people they form:

Professors in seminaries and universities will teach young people the true state of the world and of the Church, so that the necessity of a more intense evangelization of non – Christians will become clear to them and will nurture their zeal. In teaching the dogmatic, biblical, moral, and historical branches, they should focus attention on the missionary elements therein contained, so that in this way a missionary, awareness may be formed in future priests.

 

Ad Gentes 38

Bishops exist not only for their own diocese, and not only as part of an ordered hierarchy, but for a purpose that includes cooperation and communion:

All bishops, as members of the body of bishops succeeding to the College of Apostles, are consecrated not just for some one diocese, but or the salvation of the entire world. The mandate of Christ to preach the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15) primarily and immediately concerns them, with Peter and under Peter. Whence there arises that communion and cooperation of churches which is so necessary today for carrying on the work of evangelization. In virtue of this communion, the individual churches bear the burden of care for them all, and make their necessities known to one another, and exchange mutual communications regarding their affairs, since the extension of the Body of Christ is the duty of the whole College of Bishops.

The bishop has specific duties in his own diocese:

In his own diocese, with which he constitutes one unit the bishop, stimulating, promoting and directing the work for the missions, makes the mission spirit and zeal of the People of God present and as it were visible, so that the whole diocese becomes missionary.

… including the duty of organizing a ministry of prayer for missionary activity. Anyone know of any bishop active in this regard?

It will be the bishop’s task to raise up from among his own people, especially the sick and those oppressed by hardship, some souls to offer prayers and penance to God with a wide – open heart for the evangelization of the world. The bishop will also gladly encourage youths and clerics who have vocations to mission institutes, accepting it with a grateful spirit if God should call some of them to be employed in the missionary activity of the Church. The bishop will exhort and help the diocesan congregations to play a role of their own in the missions; he will promote the works of mission institutes among his own faithful, but most especially the papal mission works. For it is only right to give these works pride of place, since they are the means of imbuing Catholics from their very infancy with a real universal and missionary outlook; and they are also the means of making an effective collection of funds to subsidize all missions, each according to its needs.

I wonder if such missionary vocations are trumped as proudly as seminary population.

But since the need for workers in the vineyard of the Lord is growing from day to day, and diocesan priests have expressed the wish to play an ever greater part in the evangelization of the world, this sacred synod desires that the bishops considering the very serious dearth of priests which is hindering the evangelization of many areas, should send some of their better priests, who offer themselves for mission work and have received a suitable preparation, to those dioceses which are lacking in clergy, where at least for a time they will exercise their missionary ministry in a spirit of service.

Interesting. Yet many American dioceses accept clergy from mission countries. We may have our own challenges with priests in this nation, but we’re also far better placed than most nations to have lay people provide some of the non-sacramental ministries that may be more difficult to provide in mission lands.

But in order that the missionary activity of the bishops may be exercised more effectively for the good of the whole Church, it would be expedient for the episcopal conferences to take charge of those affairs which concern the orderly cooperation of their own region.

So national conferences have other important duties.

In their own conference, the bishops should deliberate about dedicating to the evangelization of the nations some priests from among the diocesan clergy; they should decide what definite offering each diocese should be obliged to set aside annually for the work of the missions, in proportion to its own budget; they should consider how to direct and control the ways and means by which the missions receive direct help; they should deal with assisting and if need be, founding, missionary institutes and seminaries for diocesan mission clergy, and the promoting of closer relations between such institutes and the dioceses.

It also pertains to the episcopal conferences to found and promote works for the (familial) reception and due pastoral care of those who immigrate from mission lands for the sake of studying or finding work. For through them, far-away peoples are sometimes made near; and an excellent opportunity is offered to communities which have long been Christian to converse with nations which have not yet heard the Gospel, and to show them in their own dutiful love and aid, the genuine face of Christ.

So, what do you think? Are bishops, dioceses, and conferences doing their job in the First World? What needs to be shored up and improved in your diocese, in our nations?

 

Ad Gentes 37

Ad Gentes treats the topic of Christian communities applying themselves to the missionary effort:
But since the People of God lives in communities, especially in dioceses and parishes, and becomes somehow visible in them, it is also up to these to witness Christ before the nations.

What does your parish or your diocese do to keep the letter or the spirit of this guidance? The council bishops suggest such concern for matters outside one’s local sphere is connected with the experience of renewal:

The grace of renewal cannot grow in communities unless each of these extends the range of its charity to the ends of the earth, and devotes the same care to those afar off as it does to those who are its own members.

What is that saying about the missions? “Some go by giving, some give by going.”

Thus the whole community prays, works together, and exercises its activity among the nations through those of its (daughters and) sons whom God has chosen for this most excellent task.

Do any readers know if their parish has sent missionaries, even those who work in a temporary ministry with the JVC or some smiliar organization? If so, are such mission concerns regularly communicated to the parish? How would this be handled by the diocese on the city or regional level?
It will be very useful, provided the universal scope of mission work is not thereby neglected, to keep in contact with missionaries who are from one’s own community, or with some parish or diocese in the missions, so that the communion between the communities may be made visible, and serve for their mutual edification.

 

Ad Gentes 36

Ad Gentes topic of the day: cooperation, first of church members with missionary activity:

As members of the living Christ, incorporated into Him and made like unto Him through baptism and through confirmation and the Eucharist, all the faithful are duty – bound to cooperate in the expansion and spreading out of His Body, to bring it to fullness as soon as may be (Eph. 4:13).

This cooperation is ideally quite active and informed, a “lively awareness,” as the council bishops put it. First on the list is giving good example for non-believers. The source of spiritual fervor for any effort at evangelization is an apparent devotion to God and an explicit charity visible to others.

Therefore, all (daughters and) sons of the Church should have a lively awareness of their responsibility to the world; they should foster in themselves a truly catholic spirit; they should spend their forces in the work of evangelization. And yet, let everyone know that their first and most important obligation for the spread of the Faith is this: to lead a profoundly Christian life. For their fervor in the service of God and their charity toward others will cause a new spiritual wind to blow for the whole Church, which will then appear as a sign lifted up among the nations (cf. Is. 11:12), “the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14) and “the salt of the earth” (Matt. 5:13). This testimony of a good life will more easily have its effect if it is given in unison with other Christian communities, according to the norms of the Decree on Ecumenism, 12. From this renewed spirit, prayer and works of penance will be spontaneously offered to God that He may fructify the missionaries’ work with His grace; and then there will be missionary vocations, and the material subsidies which the missions need will be forthcoming.

Bloggers too, it would seem, fall into the category of these “modern means” of communication. Are we properly “mission aware?” I know I find the referrals to this site interesting–not everybody is surfing over from their favorite St Blog’s site.

But in order that each and every one of the Christian faithful may he fully acquainted with the present condition of the Church in the world, and may hear the voice of the multitudes who cry “Help us!” (cf. Acts 16:9), modern means of social communication should be used to furnish such mission information that the faithful may feel this mission work to be their very own, and may open their hearts to such vast and profound human needs, and may come to their assistance.

It is also necessary to coordinate the information, and to cooperate with national and international agencies.

Comments?

 

Ad Gentes 35

We begin the final chapter of Ad Gentes today, “Cooperation”

Since the whole Church is missionary, and the work of evangelization is a basic duty of the People of God, this sacred synod invites all to a deep interior renewal; so that, having a vivid awareness of their own responsibility for spreading the Gospel, they may do their share in missionary work among the nations.

Missionary ministry is everybody’s ministry, so said the council bishops.

 

Ad Gentes 34

The end of Chapter V and the conclusion of Vatican II’s discussion of planning missionary activity:

Since the right and methodical exercise of missionary activity requires that those who labor for the Gospel should be scientifically prepared for their task, and especially for dialogue with non-Christian religions and cultures, and also that they should be effectively assisted in the carrying out of this task, it is desired that, for the sake of the missions, there should be fraternal and generous collaboration on the part of scientific institutes which specialize in missiology and in other arts and disciplines useful for the missions, such as ethnology and linguistics, the history and science of religions, sociology, pastoral skills and the like.

No mention of liturgy, but that would be part of the picture, surely.

 

Ad Gentes 33

More teamwork; in this section, men and women religious.
The institutes engaged in missionary activity in the same territory should find ways and means of coordinating their work. Therefore, it will be very useful to have conferences of Religious men and unions of Religious women, in which institutes of the same country or region should take part. These conferences should ask what things can be done by combined efforts, and they should be in close touch with the episcopal conferences.

All these things, with equal reason, should be extended to include the cooperation of missionary institutes in the home lands, so that questions and joint projects can be settled with less expense, as for instance the formation of future missionaries, as well as courses for missionaries, relations with public authorities and with international or supranational organizations.

 

Ad Gentes 32

 

Some legal stuff, the relatinship between a bishop and missionary institutes operating in a territory. Bringing a missionary effort to a conclusion in an area must be a bittersweet moment. The obvious ideal is that bishops and local clergy will take over at some future point. Do the missionaries move on? Do they remain in the mature local church to maintain the bonds formed with the people there?

It brings to mind thoughts of the eschaton and missionary activity. At some point in the Divine Plan of the Universe, missionary activity will, of necessity, come to an end. That moment seems impossibly far off, especially if the human colonization of space becomes a reality and souls are flung to the far reaches of the universe.

It would also be good to coordinate the activities which are being carried on by ecclesiastical institutes and associations. All these, of whatever kind, should defer to the local Ordinary in all that concerns missionary activity itself. Therefore, it will be very helpful to, draw up contracts to regulate relations between local Ordinaries and the moderator of the institute.

When a territory has been committed to a certain institute, both the ecclesiastical superior and the institute will be concerned to direct everything to this end, that the new Christian community may grow into a local church, which in due time will be governed by its own pastor with his clergy.

When the commission of a certain territory expires, a new state of affairs begins. Then the episcopal conference and the institutes in joint deliberation should lay down norms governing the relations between local Ordinaries and the institutes. It will be the role of Holy See to outline the general principles according to which regional and even particular contracts are to be drawn up.

Although the institutes will be prepared to continue the work which they have begun, cooperating in the ordinary ministry of the care of souls, yet when the local clergy grows numerous, it will be provided that the institute, insofar as this is in agreement with its purpose, should remain faithful to the diocese, generously taking over special works or some area in it.

 

Ad Gentes 31

Episcopal conferences should take common counsel to deal with weightier questions and urgent problems, without however neglecting local differences. Lest the already insufficient supply of (people) and means be further dissipated, or lest projects be multiplied without necessity, it is recommended that they pool their resources to found projects which will serve the good of all as for instance, seminaries; technical schools and schools of higher learning; pastoral, catechetical, and liturgical centers; as well as the means of social communication.

Such cooperation, when indicated, should also be initiated between several different episcopal conferences.

Bishops working together on issues seems to be an expectation. It is not out of keeping with Church tradition. It also seems to be of advantage where pastoral and other resources are stretched thin. Note that while Rome and the curia have their own important roles to play, as the council bishops describe in other documents, a certain logic exists in having the problems of mission dioceses worked out on an appropriate lower level whenever possible. It seems to be the first choice.

 

Ad Gentes 30

 

A bishop and his diocese have their responsibilities, including another nod to democracy and lay involvement:

In order that the proper goals and results may be obtained, all missionary workers should have but “one heart and one soul” (Acts 4:32) in the actual carrying out of mission work itself.

It is the bishop’s role, as the ruler and center of unity in the diocesan apostolate, to promote missionary activity, to direct it and to coordinate it but always in such a way that the zeal and spontaneity of those who share in the work may be preserved and fostered. All missionaries, even exempt Religious, are subject to his power in the various works which refer to the exercise of the sacred apostolate. To improve coordination, let the bishop set up, insofar as possible, a pastoral council, in which clergy, Religious, and laity may have a part, through the medium of selected delegates. Moreover let them take care that apostolic activity be not limited to those only who have already been converted. A fair proportion of personnel and funds should be assigned to the evangelization of non-Christians.

 

Ad Gentes 29

The role of bishops in missionary activity is an important one, starting first with groups and associations of bishops:

Since the charge of proclaiming the Gospel in the whole world falls primarily on the body of bishops, the synod of bishops or that “stable Council of bishops for the entire Church,” among the affairs of general concern, should give special consideration to missionary activity, which is the greatest and holiest task of the Church.

Then the administrative organizing of the missions on a regional or universal level, with due regard for the Eastern churches:

For all missions and for the whole of missionary activity there should be only one competent office, namely that of the “Propagation of the Faith,” which should direct and coordinate, throughout the world, both missionary work itself and missionary cooperation. However, the law of the Oriental Churches is to remain untouched.

The point of such an office would be to promote many aspects of the missions, including vocations, finances, and publicity, among other items: 

Although the Holy Spirit in diverse manners arouses the mission spirit in the Church of God, and oft times anticipates the action of those whose task it is to rule the life of the Church, yet for its part, this office should promote missionary vocations and missionary spirituality, zeal and prayer for the missions, and should put out authentic and adequate reports about them. Let it raise up missionaries and distribute them according to the more urgent needs of various areas. Let it arrange for an orderly plan of action, issue directives and principles adapted to evangelization, and give the impetus. Let it take care of stimulating and coordinating an effective collection of funds, which are to be distributed according to reasons of necessity and usefulness, the extent of the territory in question, the number of believers and non-believers, of undertakings and institutes, of ministers and missionaries.

Ecumenical cooperation is not to be ignored: 

In coordination with the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity, let it search out ways and means for bringing about and directing (familial) cooperation as well as harmonious living with missionary undertaking of other Christian communities, that as far as possible the scandal of division may be removed.

Combining administration with zeal can be a supremely difficult task. The chasm is sometimes as wide as A to Z, but the bishops expect it nonetheless: 

Therefore, this office must be both an instrument of administration and an organ of dynamic direction, which makes use of scientific methods and means suited to the conditions of modern times, always taking into consideration present – day research in matters of theology, of methodology and missionary pastoral procedure.

How does this fit into a hierarchical structure?  

In the direction of this office, an active role with a deliberative vote should be had by selected representatives of all those who cooperate in missionary work: that is, the bishops of the whole world (the episcopal conferences should be heard from in this regard), as well as the moderators of pontifical institutes and works, in ways and under conditions to be fixed by the Roman Pontiff. All these, being called together at stated times, will exercise supreme control of all mission work under the authority of the Supreme Pontiff. This office should have available a permanent group of expert consultors, of proven knowledge and experience, whose duty it will be, among other things to gather pertinent information about local conditions in various regions, and about the thinking of various groups of (people)) as well as about the means of evangelization to be used. They will then propose scientifically based conclusions for mission work and cooperation.

Religious women and lay people last, but hopefully not least:

Institutes of religious women, regional undertakings for the mission cause, and organizations of lay(people) (especially international ones) should be suitably represented.

Thoughts?

 

Ad Gentes 28

With Ad Gentes 28, we begin chapter V, “Planning Missionary Activity“

The Christian faithful, having different gifts (cf. Rom. 12:6), according to each one’s opportunity, ability, charisms and ministry (cf. 1 Cor. 3:10) must all cooperate in the Gospel. Hence all alike, those who sow and those who reap (cf. John 4:37), those who plant and those who irrigate, must be one (cf. 1 Cor. 3:8), so that “in a free and orderly fashion cooperating toward the same end,” they may spend their forces harmoniously for the building up of the Church.

Wherefore, the labors of the Gospel heralds and the help given by the rest of the Christian faithful must be so directed and intertwined that “all may be done in order” (1 Cor. 14:40) in all fields of missionary activity and cooperation.

The bishops pick up on that teamwork notion from the end of the previous chapter. In future posts, you’ll see them addressing the role of bishops, conferences, the pope, the curia, and missionary institutes themselves.

 

Ad Gentes 27

We arrive at the conclusion of chapter IV on missionaries themselves, with a concern that “lone ranger” ministry is not the course envisioned by the bishops. The council heaps praise on those who have labored with great tasks and under great difficulty:

All these things, though necessary for everyone who is sent to the nations, can scarcely be attained to in reality by individual missionaries. Since even mission work itself, as experience teaches, cannot be accomplished by lone individuals, a common calling has gathered these individuals together into institutes, in which, with united efforts, they are properly trained and might carry out this work in the name of the Church and under the direction of the hierarchy. For many centuries, these institutes have borne the burden of the day and the heat, devoting themselves to missionary labor either entirely or in part. Often vast territories were committed to them by the Holy See for evangelization, and there they gathered together a new people for God, a local church clinging to their own shepherds. With their zeal and experience, they will serve, by (familial) cooperation either in the care of souls or in rendering special services for the common good, those churches which were founded at the cost of their sweat and even of their blood.

Sometimes, throughout the entire extent of some region, they will take certain tasks upon themselves; e.g., the evangelization of groups of peoples who perhaps for special reasons have not yet accepted the Gospel message, or who have thus far resisted it.

If need be, let them be on hand to help and train, out of their own experience, those who will devote themselves to missionary activity for a time.

For these reasons, and since there are still many nations to be led to Christ, the institutes remain extremely necessary.

“Institutes” remain a necessary part of the mission landscape. Seems logical, as even heroic figures like Saint Paul were assisted by companions and special communities planted in God’s grace.