Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Katmandhu (Agenzia Fides)- Mission starts with self-evangelization: said the new Vicar Apostolic of Nepal, Mgr Paul Simick, in meetings with local men and women religious in Nepal. Fides was told that the Vicar Apostolic is visiting both the local Catholic church personnel and the territories , and in two separate meetings he met the Religious of east and west Nepal.
The Religious of east Nepal told the Vicar about their joys and their concerns. The Bishop expressed his point of view and encouraged all present to work for “self-evangelization””: firstly by being persons “of prayer”, persons who are familiar with Church documents and who live out their faith. He underlined the need to consider carefully the pastoral needs of the people, to organise the laity and provide them with adequate formation, encouraging and developing new ways and paths of pastoral service.
Mgr. Simick underlined important aspects of church life such as: on-going formation, by means of regular catechesis; social service programmes; awareness building; pastoral care for families and students. The Vicar Apostolic spoke of “ a lack of qualified leadership among the local laity, adding that formation must begin with students and school children”.
During his visit to the local Church in west Nepal, defined “ an encouraging event of grace for all involved ”, the Bishop urged men and women religious to live a life rooted in the faith and to grow in the faith day by day. Here too the Vicar Apostolic underlined the importance of self-evangelization, in view of “witness of a life-style that reveals the light of the faith”. The Bishop shared his vision of a Vicariate centred on the Word of God and focussed on formation in the faith and pastoral care. He concluded underlining the necessity to promote basic small Christian communities, to form commissions for different fields of pastoral care and to reach out to people in remote places offering education, health care services and programmes for development. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 1/9/2014)
