Pope Francis “There is so much need of priests, consecrated persons and lay faithful who, gripped by the love of Christ..." to Pontifical Missions

(Vatican Radio) “There is so much need of priests, consecrated persons and lay faithful who, gripped by the love of Christ, are set ablaze with passion for the Kingdom of God and willing to put themselves on the path of evangelization”, said Pope Francis Friday morning as he received members of the Pontifical Missions Society in audience at the end of their annual assembly. 
He noted: “In this time of great social change, evangelization requires a thoroughly outgoing missionary Church, capable of discernment in order to engage with different cultures and visions of man . For a changing world we need a Church renewed and transformed by contemplation and personal contact with Christ, by the power of the Spirit”.

The Pontifical Mission Societies include the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Society of St. Peter the Apostle, the Holy Childhood Association and the Missionary Union of Priests and Religious. The Pope specifically asks the Pontifical Mission Societies to help bring the messages of Christ to the world, especially in countries where Christianity is new, young or poor. The societies care for and support the younger churches until they are able to be self-sufficient.

Below please find a Vatican Radio translation of the Holy Father’s speech to the Pontifical Mission Societies:
Your Eminence,
Venerable Brothers in the Episcopate and in the Priesthood,
Dear Brothers and Sisters ,
I welcome the National Directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies and collaborators of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. I thank Cardinal Fernando Filoni , and all of you who work at the service of the Church's mission to bring the Gospel to people in every part of the Earth.

With the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium I wanted to invite all the faithful to a new season of evangelization; and in our time the missio ad gentes is the driving force of this fundamental dynamism of the Church. The anxiety to evangelize at the "peripheries", witnessed by holy and generous missionaries, helps all communities to realize an effective pastoral outreach , a renewal of structures and activities. Missionary activity is paradigmatic for all the Church’s activity. ( cf. Evangelii gaudium , 15) .


In this time of great social change, evangelization requires a thoroughly outgoing missionary Church, capable of discernment in order to engage with different cultures and visions of man . For a changing world we need a Church renewed and transformed by contemplation and personal contact with Christ, by the power of the Spirit. The Spirit of Christ, is the source of renewal, which helps us to us find new ways, new creative methods, various forms of expression for the evangelization of the world today. It is He who gives us the strength to undertake the journey and the joy of the missionary journey, so that the light of Christ enlighten those who still do not know or refused . For this we require the courage to "to reach all the “peripheries” in need of the light of the Gospel" (Evangelii gaudium , 21) . We cannot be held back by our weaknesses, or our sins, nor the many obstacles to the witness and proclamation of the Gospel. It is the experience of the encounter with the Lord Jesus that motivates us and gives us the joy of proclaiming Him to all nations.

The Church is missionary by its very nature, its fundamental prerogative is the service of charity to all. Universal brotherhood and solidarity are connatural to its life and mission in the world and for the world. Evangelization, which must reach everyone, however, is called to begin with the least, the poor, those whose backs are bent under the weight and strain of life. In so doing, the Church prolongs the mission of Christ himself, who "came so that they may have life and have it abundantly " (Jn 10:10). The Church is the people of the Beatitudes , the home of the poor, the afflicted , the excluded and persecuted those who hunger and thirst for justice. You are asked to work so that the ecclesial communities know how to welcome the poor with preferential love, keeping the doors of the church open so all may enter and find shelter.

The Pontifical Mission Societies are the privileged instrument which generously reminds us of anfd cares for the missio ad gentes. For this I turn to you as leaders and formators of missionary awareness in the local churches: with patient perseverance, promote our shared missionary responsibility. There is so much need of priests, consecrated persons and lay faithful who, gripped by the love of Christ, are set ablaze with passion for the Kingdom of God and willing to put themselves on the path of evangelization.


I thank you for your valuable service, dedicated to spreading the Kingdom of God, to seeing that the love and light of Christ reach all corners of the Earth. May Mary, the Mother of the living Gospel, always accompany you on your journey to support evangelization. You will be accompanied by my blessing for you and your collaborators.


Text from Vatican Radio website