ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Conference on the "new evangelization": "Jesus Christ, light of the world"

Tuesday, 18 May 2021 evangelization mission missio ad gentes christianity

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Manila (Agenzia Fides) - "Jesus Christ, light of the world": this is the title of the Conference on the new evangelization that will be held on May 22 in Manila. The Conference takes on a special character and meaning because in 2021 the country celebrates the 500th anniversary of the arrival of the Christian faith in the Philippines (1521-2021). The Catholic lay organization "Live Christ, Share Christ" (LCSC), involved in organizing the Conference event, also celebrates 10 years as an ecclesial movement. In a message addressed to all Catholic communities, associations and groups, Frank Padilla, lay Catholic and moderator of the LCSC movement, writes: "As baptized, we take part in the important mission of becoming bearers of the light of Christ in the world". "Over the years - Padilla explains to Fides - the way in which to carry out the work of evangelization has evolved in many different ways, yet our call is always the same: to put Christ at the center of our lives and share it with the others". As Msgr. Jose S. Palma, Archbishop of Cebu notes, "evangelization is the proclamation, testimony and transmission of the Gospel given to humanity by our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the opening of the life of people, of society, of culture to the person of Jesus Christ and to his living community, the Church". "The mission of all of us who are called to take part in the new evangelization is the essential mission of the Church, since it was also the mission of Jesus himself", he adds. As the document introducing the Conference underlines, "new evangelization" is a term used for the first time by Pope Paul VI in his 1975 apostolic exhortation "Evangelii nuntiandi", which reaffirms the role of each Christian in spreading the Gospel. The term was then popularized by Pope John Paul II, during a speech to the Latin American Bishops in anticipation of the 500th anniversary of evangelization in the Americas (1492-1992). Pope John Paul II declared his commitment "not to re-evangelize but to a new evangelization, new in its ardor, methods and expression". The call to the "new evangelization" is for those who have been baptized, a call to deepen and "rekindle the faith", in order to give witness to "Christ, light of the world" to those who have not encountered God. In today's context, this means witnessing and proclaiming the Word of God in countries and cultures strongly influenced by secularization. The Philippines celebrates 500 years of evangelization in 2021. Yet, it should be remembered, even if 80% of the Filipino population - out of 110 million citizens – declare themselves to be Catholic, thousands of faithful stop attending churches each year or abandon the practice of the faith. One of the main objectives of the Conference on the new evangelization is, therefore, to revitalize the Catholic community in the face of changes in the social, cultural, economic, civil and religious panorama in the country. The starting point for this process of "new evangelization", it is pointed out, is always Christ himself: evangelization, missio ad gentes or new evangelization, are always the work of the grace of God's mercy. The recent Pastoral Letter on the New Evangelization, released by the Filipino Bishops on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines, states: "This task of the New Evangelization calls us to continue more seriously the initiatives and projects that have been carried out under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We are called to deepen the pastoral situation that we all face together as a Church in the Philippines". The Bishops indicate four specific areas of interest and work for the new evangelization: promoting the missio ad gentes in local communities; bringing the "Good news" of the Gospel to the poor, the needy, the most vulnerable; reaching the baptized who have abandoned the practice of the faith; renewing pastoral care for young people in urban and rural areas. The Bishops also underlined three imperatives of faith for the work of evangelization to be fruitful: the centrality of the Eucharist, the need for prayer and the attitude of permanent conversion in each Christian. (SD-PA) (Agenzia Fides, 18/5/2021)