Modern prophets speak before the Camillians

During the 6-day permanent formation program of the Camillian missionaries, three personages came to address and redress each one with the interesting mission menu of the time, i.e., “change and walk with the people.” The three speakers affirmed strongly that indeed the present Church’s mission encountered a lot of difficulties and failures due to the fast and ever-changing realities of this world. These changes called forth an overhaul of strategies and revitalization of missions and missionaries. From what and whose perspective are we doing our mission? This is a vital question that the missionaries have to address immediately. Failure to do so will amount to a gross injustice against the People of God who are the “raison daitre” of mission. It is in this context that the three speakers challenged and provoked the Camillians.

Fr. Gianni Colzani and Bro. Kipoyi Pombo, theologians and resident professors of Propaganda Fedei, Urbaniana University asserted that there is no unique model or strategy for pastoral missionary activity. However, there is only one and the most essential element in all forms of mission, i.e., the proclamation of the love of Christ to everybody. In this sense, the Gospel has been demonopolized. This fact, the universal character of the good news, somehow complicates the matter. Nevertheless, the documents of the Church on missions served as the finest guidelines for missionaries. For instance, Bro Kipoyi attested that some missions in Africa were a failure because it filled to integrate the life, culture and environment of the people with the gospel. The so-called “inculturation” has been long discovered but it finds it difficult to incarnate into reality. What seemed to be the problem, then, is the failure to see with an open heart and mind and to listen with the people of whom missionaries are sent for. Prior to the arrival of missionaries, these people have lived already with their own life-system, culture, values and sets of beliefs.

What added more complications to the mission are the on-going world crises (economically, politically, socially and religiously)? Fr. Albanese, a Comboniani, founder of MISNA (Missionary News Agency in Africa) and CNN correspondent for Africa, has attested this. He said that the big problem faced by missionaries particularly in the Third World, is the truth behind the news and communications of events that are happening. Who holds the truth? This is a big bluff nowadays when media is being used solely to protect and enrich the interest of the few who are in power rather than promoting for the interest of the common goods and destiny. Communication then must be a means and an arm of the people of God to fight against injustices and come up with the truth. In the field of health and all other fields, there are so many injustices. Who would denounce it? This is a task that missionaries must be united to become the true voice of the suffering people of God.