Evangelism is constant mission of the Church, Pope tells Sunday audience

CWN - May 30, 2011

At his midday audience on Sunday, May 29, Pope Benedict XVI spoke about the Church’s mission to evangelize the world, and contrasted that effort with worldly attempts to gain power.

“While the powerful tried to conquer new lands for political and economic reasons, the messengers of Christ went everywhere for the purpose of bringing Christ to people and people to Christ,” the Pope said. Pope Benedict was commenting on the day’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles, about Philip’s arrival in Samaria. “There was great joy in that city,” the account relates. Those words, the Pontiff observed, convey the impact of evangelical work, which brings “true joy, because wherever the Gospel reaches, there life flourishes.”

Proclaiming the Gospel is always the mission of the faithful, the Pope said. He pointed to different models for evangelical work, including St. Charles Borromeo, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and Blessed John Paul II.

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  • Posted by: Defender - May. 30, 2011 7:53 PM ET USA

    Why is it so hard to keep our own house together then? Why are non-Catholics staffing our schools? Why are we called upon to not give offense to other religions when we defend ours?

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