AFRICA - In times of pandemic, even more intense and permanent missionary activity is needed

Kara (Agenzia Fides) - "This moment of global pandemic caused by COVID-19 is having repercussions not only on health, but also on missionary activity. If technology in urban areas makes human contact possible and allows constant and permanent missionary activity, in villages this is not the case", writes Father Donald Zagore, priest of the Society for African Missions, to Agenzia Fides.
"Pastoral care in rural areas and, in particular, in areas of first evangelization is very difficult because it clashes with people's reticence to accept the Gospel. People find it difficult to leave behind the traditions carried out up to that moment. It is easy for them to quickly go back. In order to prevent this from happening, constant monitoring and permanent missionary activity that attracts and involves them are needed", adds the missionary who is currently engaged in Togo.
"The seriousness of the current situation forces pastors who work in rural areas and areas of early evangelization to seek solutions to meet this challenge. Unfortunately - explains Fr. Zagore - here we cannot speak of spiritual communion in the areas of first evangelization because we are not yet dealing with Christians rooted in faith".
"In order to adapt to this crisis and not abandon our people, we are working hard to propose a type of small-scale pastoral care. We bring together the key figures of each family with whom we share the word, in particular the liturgical texts proposed for the Sunday celebration, and make sure that these people then in turn become witnesses for their respective communities". (DA/AP) (Agenzia Fides, 4/5/2020)

Share:

evangelization

---

---

coronavirus

---

---

missionary institutes

---

---

mission

---

---