His Holiness Pope Francis met the national directors of the Pontifical Missionary Societies (PMS) who are holding their annual general assembly, May 28 – June 2, just outside Rome. The Pontiff called for the renewal of the Church’s missionary commitment which he said consists in growth in personal holiness and spiritual creativity in openness to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. The theme of the Extraordinary Missionary Month is “Baptized and sent: the Church of Christ on Mission in the World.”
As reported by en.vaticannews.va, His Holiness Pope Francis’ talk to the group focused on the preparation for the Extraordinary Missionary Month of October, 2019, which he said should be a great opportunity to renew the missionary commitment throughout the Church. Holy Father remarked that “It is not merely about renewing the old, but about letting the Holy Spirit, create newness, making all things new. Proselytism has nothing to do with the mission. We do not have a product to sell but a life to communicate – that of God, his divine life, his merciful love, his holiness!” Further, His Holiness added, “It is the Holy Spirit, not the PMS, who is the protagonist and author of mission who carries the Church forward. Hence, it is wrong that we try to tame Him by putting Him into the many worldly structures which ultimately will lead us to think that the PMS is an enterprise, a business, something ours with the blessing of God.”
The PMS include the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Society of St. Peter the Apostle, the Holy Childhood Association and the Pontifical Missionary Union (PMU) of Priests and Religious, and operate under the Vatican Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
