By Junno Arocho Esteves
Pope Francis has last week sent out 31 families to preach in secularised areas around the world, at a meeting with thousands of members of the Neocatechumenal Way, including 200 missio ad gentes families.
In his address for the occasion, the Pope thanked them for their presence as he wished to fulfill his task to “confirm brothers in the faith”.
“With this gesture, you […] wished to ask the Successor of Peter to confirm your call, to support your mission, to bless your charism,” he said.
“And today I confirm your call, I support your mission and I bless your charism. I do not do so because he [pointing at Kiko] paid me, no! I do so because I want to do it. You will go in Christ’s name to the whole world to bring His Gospel: Christ precedes you, Christ accompanies you, Christ will bring to fulfilment the salvation of which you are bearers!”
Expressing his gratitude to the initiators of the Neocatechumenal Way, Kiko Argüello, Carmen Hernandez and Fr Mario Pezzi, the Pope encouraged their mission in dioceses around the world.
“I always say that the Neocatechumenal Way does great good to the Church,” he said.
Continuing his address, the Holy Father expressed his joy at the willingness of the families to preach the Gospel as “Christ requested”.
He also confirmed the mandate of the missio ad gentes families to evangelise non-Christians who have never heard of Christ as well as those who have been baptised but have forgotten their faith due to “secularisation and worldliness”.
“Today’s world is in great need of this message. How much loneliness, how much suffering, how much estrangement from God there is in so many peripheries of Europe and America and in so many cities of Asia!” he exclaimed.
“Thanks to you, missionary families, these Christian communities have the essential task of rendering this message visible. And what is the message? ‘Christ is risen, Christ lives! Christ is alive among us!'”
The 78-year-old Pontiff reaffirmed the sentiments of his predecessors, especially St John Paul II who recognised the Neocatechumenal Way as an “itinerary of Catholic formation, valid for society and for today’s times”.
“The Way rests on those three dimensions of the Church that are the Word, the Liturgy and the Community,” he said.
“Therefore, obedient and constant listening to the Word of God; the Eucharistic celebration in small communities after Sunday’s First Vespers, the celebration of Lauds in the family on Sunday with all the children and the sharing of one’s faith with other brothers are at the origin of so many gifts that the Lord has lavished on you, as well as the numerous vocations to the priesthood and to consecrated life.”
The Pope went on to say that the numerous vocations that have sprung from the Way confirm that “the Spirit of God is living and working in the Church today, and responds to the needs of modern man.”
Among the audience was Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP, Archbishop of Sydney.
Speaking with ZENIT shortly after the Holy Father’s meeting, Archbishop Fisher said that the families who are willing to go anywhere, solely trusting in divine providence, was “really inspiring”.
“It really challenges me as a bishop to see young people and young priests completely relying on providence, like these people,” he said.
The Australian prelate also expressed his joy that several families sent out by the Holy Father will be coming to Sydney.
“We’re getting three families coming to Sydney,” he said. “We already have a number of missionary families in Sydney and in other parts of Australia too. But we’re very, very pleased to be receiving them. And they’ll do great things in Sydney.” – courtesy Zenit News.