Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
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Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - "We assure our closeness and our communion with Msgr. Emilio Nappa who today makes his profession of faith and the oath of fidelity before his episcopal consecration". The homily of Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle begins with these words, during the celebration for Christmas greetings to the staff of the Dicastery for Evangelization.
On Saturday, December 3, 2022, the Holy Father appointed Father Emilio Nappa as Assistant Secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization and President of the Pontifical Mission Societies, conferring on him the title of Archbishop and assigning him the titular see of Satriano. Father Emilio Nappa wished to pronounce his profession of faith during the liturgy presided over by Cardinal Tagle to emphasize its value as a communal and participatory act, also asking for prayers for the mission shared by the members of the whole Dicastery.
“This Eucharistic celebration also reminds us that it is not only work that unites us but it is the person of the Son of God who became man, his name is Jesus which means God saves.
For two years, said Cardinal Tagle during his homily, inspired by the Gospel of the day in which he recounts the choice of the name of little John the Baptist by his parents Elisabeth and Zachariah, we celebrated Advent and Christmas in the shadow of the pandemic. This year we have the clouds of war, manipulation, lies, destruction. But these clouds are not new. Elizabeth, Zechariah, Mary, Joseph and the poor shepherds knew these clouds well, but their eyes of faith were alert to the many acts of grace of God's mercy that were taking place. They know the past but they also see the new history that God is writing. To what they see, they give a name. Elisabeth and Zechariah saw not only the shame of their history but above all the goodness of God in their son. They called him John. Mary and Joseph saw not only the shame and the danger of having a son before living together, but above all the saving plan of God in their Son. They called him Jesus.
Our contemporary world, the Cardinal continued, needs more people able to see the living presence of God in the midst of the disordered human condition.
We need people who can give a name to the new story that God himself is developing. This is evangelization: naming the benevolent action of God in history."
The episcopal ordination of Father Emilio Nappa will be celebrated on Saturday, January 28, 2023. (Agenzia Fides, 23/12/2022)
