VATICAN CITY, 19 OCT 2011 (VIS) - "Migrations and New
Evangelisation" is the theme chosen by Benedict XVI for the World Day of
Migrants and Refugees 2012, which will be celebrated on 15 January 2012.
Extracts from the English-language edition of the text are given below:
"Proclaiming Jesus Christ the one Saviour of the
world 'constitutes the essential mission of the Church. It is a task and
mission which the vast and profound changes of present-day society make all the
more urgent'. Indeed, today we feel the urgent need to give a fresh impetus and
new approaches to the work of evangelisation in a world in which the breaking
down of frontiers and the new processes of globalisation are bringing people
and peoples even closer. This is both because of the development of the means
of social communication and because of the frequency and ease with which individuals
and groups can move about today".
"'Migrations and New Evangelisation' is the
theme I have chosen this year for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees. It
originates from the aforesaid situation. The present time, in fact, calls upon
the Church to embark on a new evangelisation also in the vast and complex
phenomenon of human mobility. This calls for an intensification of her
missionary activity both in the regions where the Gospel is proclaimed for the
first time and in countries with a Christian tradition".
"Internal or international migration, in fact,
as an opening in search of better living conditions or to flee from the threat
of persecution, war, violence, hunger or natural disasters, has led to an
unprecedented mingling of persons and peoples, with new problems not only from
the human standpoint but also from the ethical, religious and spiritual
viewpoints. The current and obvious consequences of secularisation, the
emergence of new sectarian movements, widespread insensitivity to the Christian
faith and a marked tendency to fragmentation are obstacles to focusing on a
unifying reference that would encourage the formation of 'one family of
brothers and sisters in societies that are becoming ever more multiethnic and
intercultural, where also people of various religions are urged to take part in
dialogue, so that a serene and fruitful coexistence with respect for legitimate
differences may be found'. ... Our time is marked by endeavours to efface God
and the Church's teaching from the horizon of life, while doubt, scepticism and
indifference are creeping in, seeking to eliminate all the social and symbolic
visibility of the Christian faith.
"In this context migrants who have known and
welcomed Christ are not infrequently constrained to consider Him no longer
relevant to their lives, to lose the meaning of their faith, no longer to
recognise themselves as members of the Church, and often lead a life no longer
marked by Christ and His Gospel. Having grown up among peoples characterised by
their Christian faith they often emigrate to countries in which Christians are
a minority or where the ancient tradition of faith, no longer a personal
conviction or a community religion, has been reduced to a cultural fact. Here
the Church is faced with the challenge of helping migrants keep their faith
firm even when they are deprived of the cultural support that existed in their
country of origin, and of identifying new pastoral approaches, as well as
methods and expressions, for an ever vital reception of the Word of God".
"Today's migration phenomenon is also a
providential opportunity for the proclamation of the Gospel in the contemporary
world. Men and women from various regions of the earth who have not yet
encountered Jesus Christ or know Him only partially, ask to be received in
countries with an ancient Christian tradition. It is necessary to find adequate
ways for them to meet and to become acquainted with Jesus Christ and to
experience the invaluable gift of salvation which, for everyone, is a source of
'life in abundance'".
"Pastoral workers - priests, religious and lay
people - play a crucial role in the demanding itinerary of the new
evangelisation in the context of migration. They work increasingly in a
pluralist context: in communion with their ordinaries, drawing on the Church's
Magisterium. I invite them to seek ways of fraternal sharing and respectful
proclamation, overcoming opposition and nationalism. For their part, the
Churches of origin, of transit and those that welcome the migration flows
should find ways to increase their cooperation for the benefit both of those
who depart and those who arrive, and, in any case, of those who, on their
journey, stand in need of encountering the merciful face of Christ in the
welcome given to the neighbour".
"Asylum seekers, who fled from persecution,
violence and situations that put their life at risk, stand in need of our
understanding and welcome, of respect for their human dignity and rights, as
well as awareness of their duties. Their suffering pleads with individual States
and the international community to adopt attitudes of reciprocal acceptance,
overcoming fears and avoiding forms of discrimination, and to make provisions
for concrete solidarity also through appropriate structures for hospitality and
resettlement programmes. All this entails mutual help between the suffering
regions and those which, already for years, have accepted a large number of
fleeing people, as well as a greater sharing of responsibilities among States.
"The press and the other media have an important
role in making known, correctly, objectively and honestly, the situation of
those who have been forced to leave their homeland and their loved ones and
want to start building a new life.
"Christian communities are to pay special
attention to migrant workers and their families by accompanying them with
prayer, solidarity and Christian charity, by enhancing what is reciprocally
enriching, as well as by fostering new political, economic and social planning
that promotes respect for the dignity of every human person, the safeguard of
the family, access to dignified housing, to work and to welfare".
"Lastly, I would like to call to mind the
situation of numerous international students who are facing problems of
integration, bureaucratic difficulties, hardship in the search for housing and
welcome structures. Christian communities are to be especially sensitive to the
many young men and women who, precisely because of their youth, need reference
points in addition to cultural growth, and have in their hearts a profound
thirst for truth and the desire to encounter God. Universities of Christian
inspiration are to be, in a special way, places of witness and of diffusion of
the new evangelisation, seriously committed to contributing to social, cultural
and human progress in the academic milieu. They are also to promote
inter-cultural dialogue and enhance the contribution that international
students can give".
MESS/
VIS 20111019 (1120)
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