ALL CHRISTIANS HAVE MISSIONARY MANDATE Fr. Madu

Transcription

1 ALL CHRISTIANS HAVE MISSIONARY MANDATE Fr. Madu Oct 05, 2011 ABUJA, NIGERIA - Preaching the Good News of Christ is not an exclusive vocation of the Priests and Religious but all Christians, especially baptized Catholics, each according to his own calling, the director of Social Communications, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), Rev. Fr. Ralph Madu has asserted. Fr. Madu made this assertion in his lecture titled: The Mission of the Church, delivered on Monday, October 3, 2011, at Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro-Cathedral, Garki, Abuja; as part of the activities marking this year s catechetical week. Calling on the Lay faithful to be more actively involved in the missionary work of the Church in Nigeria, Fr. Madu recalled the words of Pope Benedict XVI to pilgrims at Midday on April 13, 2008 on the World Day of Prayer for Vocations when the Holy Father declared that: Christian marriage is also a missionary vocation. Husband and wife are called to live the Gospel in the family, in the work place and in parishes and communities, and they offer their valuable contribution to the mission ad gentes The CSN Director of Communications took his listeners down memory lane to buttress the missionary nature of the Church since inception to date. He gave the genesis and structure of the Church as a mission apostolate, since the time it was founded by Christ, her various stages of existence, including the time she was known as the Roman Catholic Church, its time of being active within Judaism, the renaissance years and other notable areas in the life of page 1 / 5

2 the Church. He spoke extensively on the meaning of mission, Religious mission statements, Biblical mandate for mission, Catholic missions, mission today and those who are called to mission. He remarked: As the Church normally organizes itself along territorial lines and because they had the human and material resources, religious orders some even specializing in it undertook most missionary work, especially in the early phases. He continued: Over time, a normalized Church structure was gradually established in the Mission area, often starting with special jurisdictions known as apostolic prefectures and apostolic vicariates. These developing Churches eventually intended to graduate to regular diocesan status with a local episcopacy appointed, especially after decolonization as the Church structures often reflect the political administrative reality. Speaking on today s reality, Fr. Madu Said: Much contemporary Catholic Missionary work has undergone profound change since the Second Vatican Council, and has become explicitly conscious of Social Justice Issues and the dangers cultural imperialism or economic exploitation disguised as religious conversion. Contemporary Christian Missionaries argue that working for justice is a constitutive part of preaching the Gospel, and observe the principles of inculturation in their missionary work. The lecturer also spoke on the response of the Church in Nigeria to the challenges of the mission. He stated: In 1982, the Blessed, John Paul II, during his first visit to Nigeria challenged the Church to a New Era of Evangelization. Addressing the Nigerian Bishops in Lagos, Feb. 15, 1982, the Pope said, I have been sent by Christ and you have been sent by Christ. And together with the rest of the College of Bishops throughout the world we are sent to announce Christ, to proclaim Christ, to communicate Christ and his Gospel to the world. In this pastoral visit, I express the hope that it would initiate a New Era of Evangelization in Nigeria. This is my earnest prayer, that zeal for evangelization will envelop the Church in Nigeria. page 2 / 5

3 On the mandate of Pope Benedict XVI to the Church in Nigeria to go on mission to other lands, Fr. Madu Said: Before the invitation of the Holy Father to the Bishops Conference of Nigeria in 2010, to accept some mission territories, the Conference had already instituted the Missionaries of St. Paul Congregation in Gwagwalada, Abuja on October 25, 1977, for that purpose. What a demonstration of great consciousness of the universal call to Mission. He continued: Also responding to these challenges, the Nigerian Church organized on May 1-3, 1983, a workshop on New Era of Evangelization in Ibadan, the result of which enabled the Bishops develop a national pastoral plan for Nigeria in Also indicative of the preparedness for Mission was the 1st National Mission Congress in September 2007 in Onitsha. That first National Mission Congress, with the theme You Shall be my Witness, was convoked to pray, reflect, meditate and reassess the involvement of the Catholic Church in Nigeria in the universal mission as mandated by Christ Go make disciples of all nations. The CSN director concluded: It was a sign of the coming of age of the Catholic Church in Nigeria which as part of the body of Christ assumes its missionary responsibility in the universal Church (CBCN, The Church in Nigeria: Call to Mission 2011, pg 6). The 2nd National Mission Congress in Ibadan, Sept, 28th Oct 2nd, 2011, with the theme: The Church in Nigeria: Call to Mission, Here I am Lord. Send Me, is no less an avowal of readiness for mission. ALL CHRISTIANS HAVE MISSIONARY MANDATE Fr. Madu Preaching the Good News of Christ is not an exclusive vocation of the Priests and Religious but all Christians, especially baptized Catholics, each according to his own calling, the director of Social Communications, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), Rev. Fr. Ralph Madu has asserted. Fr. Madu made this assertion in his lecture titled: The Mission of the Church, delivered on Monday, October 3, 2011, at Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro-Cathedral, Garki, Abuja; as part of the activities marking this year s catechetical week. page 3 / 5

4 Calling on the Lay faithful to be more actively involved in the missionary work of the Church in Nigeria, Fr. Madu recalled the words of Pope Benedict XVI to pilgrims at Midday on April 13, 2008 on the World Day of Prayer for Vocations when the Holy Father declared that: Christian marriage is also a missionary vocation. Husband and wife are called to live the Gospel in the family, in the work place and in parishes and communities, and they offer their valuable contribution to the mission ad gentes The CSN Director of Communications took his listeners down memory lane to buttress the missionary nature of the Church since inception to date. He gave the genesis and structure of the Church as a mission apostolate, since the time it was founded by Christ, her various stages of existence, including the time she was known as the Roman Catholic Church, its time of being active within Judaism, the renaissance years and other notable areas in the life of the Church. He spoke extensively on the meaning of mission, Religious mission statements, Biblical mandate for mission, Catholic missions, mission today and those who are called to mission. He remarked: As the Church normally organizes itself along territorial lines and because they had the human and material resources, religious orders some even specializing in it undertook most missionary work, especially in the early phases. He continued: Over time, a normalized Church structure was gradually established in the Mission area, often starting with special jurisdictions known as apostolic prefectures and apostolic vicariates. These developing Churches eventually intended to graduate to regular diocesan status with a local episcopacy appointed, especially after decolonization as the Church structures often reflect the political administrative reality. Speaking on today s reality, Fr. Madu Said: Much contemporary Catholic Missionary work has undergone profound change since the Second Vatican Council, and has become explicitly conscious of Social Justice Issues and the dangers cultural imperialism or economic exploitation disguised as religious conversion. Contemporary Christian Missionaries argue that working for justice is a constitutive part of preaching the Gospel, and observe the principles page 4 / 5

5 Powered by TCPDF ( of inculturation in their missionary work. The lecturer also spoke on the response of the Church in Nigeria to the challenges of the mission. He stated: In 1982, the Blessed, John Paul II, during his first visit to Nigeria challenged the Church to a New Era of Evangelization. Addressing the Nigerian Bishops in Lagos, Feb. 15, 1982, the Pope said, I have been sent by Christ and you have been sent by Christ. And together with the rest of the College of Bishops throughout the world we are sent to announce Christ, to proclaim Christ, to communicate Christ and his Gospel to the world. In this pastoral visit, I express the hope that it would initiate a New Era of Evangelization in Nigeria. This is my earnest prayer, that zeal for evangelization will envelop the Church in Nigeria. On the mandate of Pope Benedict XVI to the Church in Nigeria to go on mission to other lands, Fr. Madu Said: Before the invitation of the Holy Father to the Bishops Conference of Nigeria in 2010, to accept some mission territories, the Conference had already instituted the Missionaries of St. Paul Congregation in Gwagwalada, Abuja on October 25, 1977, for that purpose. What a demonstration of great consciousness of the universal call to Mission. He continued: Also responding to these challenges, the Nigerian Church organized on May 1-3, 1983, a workshop on New Era of Evangelization in Ibadan, the result of which enabled the Bishops develop a national pastoral plan for Nigeria in Also indicative of the preparedness for Mission was the 1st National Mission Congress in September 2007 in Onitsha. That first National Mission Congress, with the theme You Shall be my Witness, was convoked to pray, reflect, meditate and reassess the involvement of the Catholic Church in Nigeria in the universal mission as mandated by Christ Go make disciples of all nations. The CSN director concluded: It was a sign of the coming of age of the Catholic Church in Nigeria which as part of the body of Christ assumes its missionary responsibility in the universal Church (CBCN, The Church in Nigeria: Call to Mission 2011, pg 6). The 2nd National Mission Congress in Ibadan, Sept, 28th Oct 2nd, 2011, with the theme: The Church in Nigeria: Call to Mission, Here I am Lord. Send Me, is no less an avowal of readiness for mission. page 5 / 5