Young Jesuit Missionary Zeal with Brazil
Only 19 years old, he had set out as a missionary in the New World. There he received the priesthood in 1566. The Holy José de Anchieta worked all his life as a missionary and is worshiped as such. Pope Francis said, literally, that the new saints of such religious zeal was animated, that he "could form a nation", today's Brazil.
All the more surprising that Pope Francis, the words mission, missionary or proselytizing never mentioned in his sermon was. Instead, he reiterated its condemnation of the "proselytism". Literally, the Pope said: "The Church does not grow by proselytizing, but by the charisma and appeal of the witnesses and the joy." The testimony arising from the "joy" that will to proclaim. "Without this joy without this joy, you can not start a Church. It is an apostolic joy that radiates and spreads. "
"Proselytism" No, Mission: Unspoken, Joy: Yes
In his interview with the atheist Eugenio Scalfari the Pope had said that "proselytism is a huge stupidity". He included not only an aggressive mission form as some Protestant groups are accused of being, a rejection, but overall of mission, he said to Scalfari "I do not want to convert" (see the Full Interview of Atheist Scalfari with Pope Francis - Is There No Objective Good? ).
We now know that Scalfari formulated the answers of the Pope himself. However, the atheist doyen of the prevailing left-liberal mainstream is assured to have this content exactly reproduced in summary as the Pope had told him (backgrounds for Pope Interview - Scalfari: "I Formulated The Pope's Answers Myself" ).
Otherwise he later spoke two weeks later for World Mission Sunday at the General Audience of 16 October 2013 (see No to Conversions, Yes For Mission - The Pope Contradict Himself? ). The Church has a task, and it is called "mission". In this specifically Christian category and related language Pope Francis, however, strongly criticizes "proselytism", "poaching" of other faiths, but speaks simultaneously of a "charism" and "spread" by the "joy" of the "testimony"
What is the Message of the Pope?
In the absence of conclusive presented concept the interpretation of the Pope's words remain uncertain and there are a variety of questions. For example: Is it a general waiver of mission? What does Pope Francis with "proselytism", that "there is no way for the growth of Church"? If you want the church to wait passively until other faiths or atheists - attracted by the testimony - ask for inclusion in the Community Church but isn't active in any way in missionary work? The elimination of the Jewish mission is in fact already a fact, the renunciation of the Protestant mission is mostly accomplished: now there follows a general waiver of mission because the other faiths "already" believe? Or does the Pope simply redeem the "old" language regime and replace it with a new one? Joy as a synonym for mission? Why doesn't he say it?
The papal statements confuse especially in connection with the canonization of José de Anchieta, it resulted solely from his mission and zeal for souls in Brazil. He wanted to proclaim Christ and wanted to evangelize. Had he otherwise remained in Europe, would he have joined another Order and led somewhere a contemplative religious and priestly life?
Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Picture: Wikicommons
Picture: Wikicommons
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches....
AMGD
