Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Agenzia Fides) - "America, doors open to the mission" is the theme of the Hispanic American Day, which is celebrated on March 3 in Spain, the traditional event since 1959 invites all Iberian dioceses to keep alive the bonds of solidarity, communion and cooperation with America.
As reported to Fides, on the occasion of the Day, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America sent a message that invites us to renew the missionary commitment, in this Year of Faith.
Taking the contents of the Letter of Benedict XVI’s "Porta Fidei", the text reminds us that "The Year of Faith is a missionary invitation. This missionary zeal has always been, and still is, the best indicator of the vitality of the faith of the Church and of the Christian community. "
"That same vitality brought to the New World a legion of missionaries, who have defended the dignity of the indigenous and handed down the most precious gift: faith in Jesus Christ, the Word of God made man and Savior of mankind. The inculturation of faith in the lives of the American people was so deep that, even today, the Catholics baptized are more than 80% of the American population, " notes the Cardinal.
Currently, the Spanish missionaries "continue to find open ports for the mission in Latin America. The centuries-old experience of the mission ad gentes, of which Spanish missionaries are protagonists, helps to ensure that "the Church in Latin America will be able to take up the missionary commitment and go to other parts of the world." The realization that more than 50% of Catholics around the world live in America, "recalls Latin America to completely open the doors to the mission."
The message states that the apostolic cooperation between Christian communities is one of the most valid answers to ensure "globalization in solidarity" and is one of the forms that characterizes the "new evangelization." (CE) (Agenzia Fides 02/28/2013)
