” “France, exchange of gifts” “

The 76th World Mission Day is being celebrated in parishes throughout the world on Sunday, 20 October. The message written by the Pope to mark the occasion declares among other things: “We know very well the terrible wars and revolutions that caused so much bloodshed in the century that has just ended and the conflicts that, unfortunately, continue to afflict the world in an almost endemic way. At the same time, we cannot ignore the yearning of so many men and women who, despite living in great spiritual and material poverty, experience a great thirst for God and for his merciful love. The Lord’s appeal to proclaim the Good News continues to hold good today: indeed it is becoming ever more urgent”. Below we present a series of reports on how the Churches of Europe are proposing to celebrate Mission Day. In France. From 11 to 21 October, eighteen bishops from Africa (12), Asia (4) and Latin America (2) will make a journey through France, visiting 43 dioceses, to enable the faithful to learn of the vitality of their young churches, but also of their needs. The Secetary of the Congregation for the evangelization of peoples, Archbishop Robert Sarah, who comes from Guinea Conakra, will also participate in the various celebrations and meetings with the communities. On 22 and 23 October, the bishops will converge on the diocese of Créteil (on the outskirts of Paris) where they will conclude their visit to France together. Fifteen French bishops will also join the ‘missionary” group. Guests of Bishop Daniel Labille of Créteil and chairman of the Episcopal Committee for missionary cooperation, the bishops will meet and pray together. The mission week will end in the church of Saint-François-Xavier (Paris) on Tuesday, 22 October, with a celebration presided over by Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger. Some testimonies. The voice of Uruguay will arrive through the testimony of Bishop Pablo Galimberti of San Jose de Mayo, who will visit four dioceses in northern France. “Our people – he says – live in very precarious economic conditions which is determined by the influence of North America”. “From the rich countries – he adds – we expect nothing but the chance to sell what we produce to enable our country to develop itself. Globalization needs to be humanized, and solidarity globalized”. The same concern with economic poverty is shared by Bishop Louis Portella of Kinkala (Congo Brazzaville) who will visit the dioceses of Quimper and Vannes in Bittany: “70% of the population – says the bishop – live below the poverty threshold and only 46.3% have access to drinking water. Today we are discovering a democratic opening. The episcopate wants to make its contribution. We have made proposals when the governments requested it, but today the country is moving in a different direction: war, torture, extortion”. Experience of reciprocity. Mission week – explains Msgr. Daniel Labille in presenting the venture to the French dioceses – will offer the Christians of France the chance to experience an “exchange of gifts” with Churches throughout the world, the chance to “escape from a certain sombre atmosphere and rediscover a sense of community”. “Reciprocity – he adds – is also experienced among the particular Churches: there’s not one Church that gives and another that receives. Each, wherever it may be, both gives to and receives from the other”. The mission week will also be an occasion for young volunteers, on their return from the missions ‘ad gentes’ to describe their experiences. “The Africans – says Cécile, who has just returned from Ivory Coast – taught me to remain in the present moment. It was like going on a journey through myself, during which I learnt to understand others, without judging them or imposing anything on them”. Cécile left for Africa through a scheme run by Fidesco, an NGO founded in 1981 by the Emmanuel Community, which over the last 20 years has sent some 500 young volunteers, educators, healthcare personnel, engineers and craftsmen to some thirty countries in five continents. The president of the French Episcopal Conference, Msgr. Jean-Pierre Ricard recently sent a message to Archbishop Vital Komenan Yao of Bouaké and president of the Bishops’ Conference of Ivory Coast, where violent clashes broke out on 19 September following an abortive coup d’état. “We pray – writes the president of French bishops – that a negotiated settlement may be found as soon as possible, that the exploitation of religious differences may be avoided and that no room be left for ethnic resentment”.