Bishop Prudencio Andaya Jr. of Cabanatuan urged Catholics to take the Church’s mission beyond parish walls and reach people who have grown distant from the faith as World Mission Sunday marks its centenary.
In a pastoral letter dated Oct. 15, Andaya said the Church must seek out families, young people, the sick and others who need accompaniment instead of waiting for them to come forward.
“We should not simply wait for people to come to the Church, because the Church itself must go out and draw near to them,” he said.
World Mission Sunday was established by Pope Pius XI 100 years ago to deepen missionary awareness among Catholics. This year’s theme is “One in Christ, United in Mission.”
Andaya said the missionary task remains pressing, citing baptized Catholics who have drifted away from the Church, wounded families, young people searching for direction, and poor, sick and isolated people in need of care.
He called on Catholics to live their missionary responsibility through prayer, giving and going out to others.
The bishop said mission begins with communion with Christ and urged the faithful to deepen their prayer life, listen to the Word of God, and participate in the Eucharist and the sacraments.
He also encouraged Catholics to support young churches, mission stations, seminarians, catechists and missionaries through World Mission Sunday offerings.
Andaya said giving is not limited to money and can also include time, skills and care for people in need.
He stressed that missionary work is not reserved for clergy, religious and catechists.
“Mission is not only for priests, men and women religious, and catechists, because every baptized person is sent to proclaim and bear witness to Christ,” he said.
Andaya said mission can begin close to home.
“Mission does not always begin by crossing the sea. Sometimes, it begins by crossing over to the next house to visit a family, check on someone who is sick, reach out to a young person, or seek out a brother or sister who has drifted away from the Church,” he said.
In the Diocese of Cabanatuan, Andaya said the family would remain the main focus of mission, with Basic Ecclesial Communities serving as the place where that mission is carried out.
He called for stronger cooperation among Mission Animators, Lay Presiders, catechists and other Church workers, saying BECs help bring the Church closer to people’s daily lives.
Andaya said the centenary should also prompt Catholics to look beyond church attendance.
“Let us not only ask how many people are inside our churches, but also which of our brothers and sisters still need to be reached and with whom we need to share the Good News of Jesus,” he said.
He expressed hope that the centenary would inspire new missionary disciples and strengthen families, BECs and parishes as missionary communities.
“We are the Church sent to proclaim, serve and love,” Andaya said.
