PAPAL MESSAGE FOR WORLD MISSION DAY

VATICAN CITY, MAY 18, 2002 (VIS) - Made public today was the Pope's annual Message for World Mission Day, which will be celebrated on Sunday, October 20, on the theme "Mission is a Proclamation of Pardon."

In his Message, dated tomorrow, May 19, the solemnity of Pentecost, the Holy Father writes that "only God's love, capable of making the men and women of every race and culture into brothers and sisters, can make painful divisions, ideological contrasts, economic disparities and the violent abuses that still oppress mankind, disappear."

Despite the "horrible wars and revolutions that have bloodied the past century, and the conflicts that unfortunately continue to afflict the entire world, ... we can't help but see, at the same time, the longing of so many men and women who, though living in great spiritual and material poverty, feel a great thirst for God and His merciful love. The Lord's invitation to proclaim the Good News is still valid today; as a matter of fact it is even more urgent."

John Paul II affirmed that "from the Cross, Jesus indicated under what conditions it is possible to exercise pardon. In answer to the hatred with which His persecutors nailed Him to the Cross, He prayed for them. Not only did He pardon them, He continued to love them, to wish them well and, thus, to intercede for them. His death became the true and proper realization of Love."

"The Risen Christ," he continued, "gave His disciples peace. The Church, faithful to the Lord's command, continues to proclaim and spread peace. ... The main path of mission is sincere dialogue ... that allows speaking to another with esteem and understanding, affirming the principles in which one believes and announcing with love the deepest truths of faith, which are joy, hope and a sense of one's existence."

The Pope underscores that "commitment to an attentive and respectful dialogue is the sine qua non for an authentic witnessing to the saving love of God. This dialogue is deeply linked to the will for pardon, ... whose practice challenges and opens hearts, heals the wounds of sin and division and creates true communion."

After inviting the faithful "to pray regularly for missions and to collaborate with all possible means in the activities that the Church undertakes throughout the world," the Pope exhorts them to "never be ashamed of the Gospel and to never be afraid of calling oneself a Christian by silencing one's own faith. It is thus necessary to continue to speak, to broaden the spaces for proclaiming salvation, because Jesus has promised to always remain with His disciples."

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