(Second Part)

 June 29, 2001
Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul

My Dear Missionaries,

 “The Institute must study and understand the theological dimension of its cooperation in the work of salvation”. This statement of the Tenth General Chapter (XCG 55) is a clarion call to all of us, Consolata Missionaries. We are asked to start the process of understanding the theological foundation of our collaboration with God’s salvific plan for mankind. If we neglect this serious theological study none of our efforts to renew our evangelization or missionary service ad gentes will be effective.

 The confession that God is savior and that He saves through Jesus Christ will always be an integral part of the Christian faith. The proclamation of the Gospel is always accompanied by the saving action of Christ. The intimate connection between mission and salvation is ancient and strong. Mission consists of proclaiming to the world that salvation is a gift of God; it is a grace and a mercy that frees us from sin and evil. Mission involves bringing God’s salvation to individuals and nations who do not yet know the Gospel and do not recognize that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. But what sort of Lord and Savior – and above all, what sort of salvation?

 With varying emphases in different times and places, the missionary tradition has always linked salvation and evangelization – the clear and unambiguous proclamation of the mystery of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, become man for our sake and for our salvation. But this same tradition has always interpreted salvation as the liberation of humankind from all that oppresses and makes men less human; it is a commitment to promoting the human person in his totality. Christ himself linked salvation and charity: “Every time you do it for one of these, the least of my brothers, you do it for me” (Mt 25,40).

 This commitment of love for the weakest and the outcast has always been linked to the proclamation of salvation and evangelization. We are constantly brought back to the real, personal and social life of human beings, as Paul VI tells us in Evangelii Nuntiandi (EN), between evangelization and human advancement- development and liberation there are in fact profound links … of an anthropological order … theological order … evangelical order (cf. 31). Over the course of centuries this commitment has been translated into love of our suffering and needy neighbor, care for the sick and poor, promotion of the dignity of man – the liberation and advancement of the whole person, of all mankind.

 This second part of the theme chosen by the Tenth General Chapter “Dispensers of the Mysteries of Salvation” will study salvation from a theological and missiological perspective. We will attempt a response to the demands this understanding of salvation awakens in us and determine if our missionary communities can respond with an effective program of apostolic work. The needs we hope to meet start from the premise that human beings nurture a profound desire for salvation. This desire arises in different ways: understanding that comes as enlightenment from above, understanding that is the result of human reasoning – with or without God. The understanding which aims to save man from a threatened existence reveals a special need for meaning, it displays the universal aspiration of humanity for a salvation that goes beyond and overcomes the purely human condition. This aspiration and this need are especially apparent in the religions of mankind. Religion strives to provide a religious response to this aspiration. In the Bible and in Christianity, salvation responds to this human longing – but salvation is not the result of human initiative. It does not come from man – but only from God. It becomes the history of God who reveals himself in the act of saving. Finally we would like to respond to those questions which are most important for Christianity and the mission and at the same time the most difficult and complex of questions. They concern the person of Jesus Christ, the savior and the mediator between God and man; the nature of the salvation Christ proclaimed and the problem of dialogue with non-Christian religions.

 This second part is the keystone of our Two-Year Theme. It is set between a first section (cf. BU 91) in which we tried to understand the paths of salvation the Holy Spirit was raising up in the Church so that we could proclaim God’s will that all be saved, and the last section in which we will attempt to describe the attitude Consolata missionaries must adopt if they are to be true “ministers of salvation” among the people.

 We pray that Mary, our Mother, the Consolata and our Blessed Founder will pour out their blessings on the reflection and study of each individual and community.

 We greet you fraternally,

Fr. Piero Trabucco, IMC
Fr. Antonio Bellagamba, IMC
Fr. Norberto Ribeiro Louro, IMC
Fr. Aquiléo Fiorentini, IMC
Fr. Jean André Benedetti, IMC