Princeps pastorum

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With urgent words Pope John XXIII. in his mission encyclical Princeps pastorum ("the supreme shepherd") of November 28, 1959 on the importance of missionary work. Both the local clergy and the laity play an important role in this.

Study of missiology

The main concern of the Apostolic See in the education and training of priests was the implementation of the study of missiology. Admission to the formation of priests was urged and strongly advised. The formation must necessarily encompass the entire orthodox, traditional teaching of the Church, and unlock and sharpen the minds of the students as well as the assessment of their native culture, mainly in relation to philosophy , theology and their relationship, so that the Christian religion can be recognized should.

About the mission of the local clergy

The local clergy must exercise a special duty, it is they who can emphatically promote missionary activity . But they are also the ones who have to set a good example in the commission and “gift of faith” . He therefore again calls on the diocesan bishops to send priests to the mission, even if the priesthood in their own diocese is low. The local clergy, John XXIII wrote, must be trained to be responsible, to recognize that missionary work is an important and urgent task of the Church.

Church and Cultures

Like his predecessors, John XXIII declares that the cultures of the mission countries must be respected and that it is necessary to teach these foreign cultures in the formation of priests. Cultures must neither be rejected nor despised. Therefore, the priests must be released into missionary work with heart and mind and this responsibility rests with the sending bishops.

Announcement of lay participation

After declaring the difficulties of missionary work, the shortage of priests and the fulfillment of Christian missions and evangelization, the Pope considered involving suitable lay people in missionary work. A prerequisite for this, however, is, as with the priests, a targeted and good training. However, the statistics should not be used to remedy the lack of numbers, rather the “elect” should be well trained, firmly anchored in faith and be able to spread God's word . They should also not become auxiliary staff, but have the same responsibility with regard to the range of tasks. The pastoral mandate therefore naturally remains with the priests trained for it.

literature

  • Carl Andresen , Georg Denzler : dtv dictionary of church history , Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag, Munich, May 1982, ISBN 3-423-03245-6
  • Rudolf Fischer-Wolpert, do you know? - Lexicon of religious and ideological questions , Verlag Friedrich Pustet, Regensburg, 3rd expanded edition 1982, ISBN 3-7917-0738-8
  • Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, Herder Verlag, Freiburg im Breisgau, 2006, ISBN 3-451-29078-2
  • Texts on Catholic social doctrine, the social circulars of the popes and other church documents , published by the Federal Association of the Catholic Workers' Movement in Germany - KAB, Ketteler-Verlag, Bornheim, 1992, INSBN 3-927494-01-1; Verlag Butzon & Bercker, Kevelaer, 1992, ISBN 3-7666-9789-7

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