Cardinal Tagle on evangelisation

mr so foreign please take your seats for the last contribution and also for the final session of our symposium thank you good afternoon thank you for coming back but we would ask you to please take your places so we can begin for our final thought talk we have as you all know is eminence cardinal luis antonio tagli he needs no introduction everybody knows who the great cardinal tagley is and just in case you don't he is the prefect of the congregation for the evangelization of peoples he earned which i think is very important a doctoral degree at the catholic university of america in my hometown of washington d.c and has been appointed as a member of the international theological commission in the philippines he worked in various parishes says rector of the diocese in seminary and for many years as a professor of theology in four different seminaries pope john paul ii in 2001 appointed him bishop of imos a diocese of 2.6 million catholics in 2011 he was appointed archbishop of manila and he was appointed cardinal in 2012 at the ripe old age of 55. he participated in almost every synod at least that i remember every week he has his own television program the word exposed cardinal tagley comments on the readings of the mass for the following sunday he is the president of the catholic biblical federation and is president of caritas internationalis and i present to you now cardinal tagli thank you thank you your eminence hello good good afternoon when i started buon po meridio as we come to the conclusion of this importion we renew our thanks and congratulations to the organizers especially his eminence cardinal mark wallet whose initiative and perseverance have inspired us all thank you very much for eminence and you dear participants have been gifted with much teaching and wisdom from the holy father himself and our speakers these past days most of you probably desire to go now at this moment to a quiet place to internalize and pray over what you have heard am i right yes yes so i have decided to offer a light and hopefully brief reflection on the topic the joy of mission and panthera no for you ended your your sharing with the joy the joy we did not talk about this so it must have been uh god's hand at work the joy of mission let me start by sharing two experiences during the synod of bishops on the youth the bishops in our english-speaking language group asked some of the youth representatives about their friends or peers impression of the church what do the young people think of the church and one of them said and i quote the experience of my friends of their parish is that of priests who are angry impatient negative and unapproachable they criticize persons during homilies and talk always about rules so after the mass my friends go to the bible services of other christian groups to encounter jesus i was shocked and saddened to hear this but at the same time i was glad to have been challenged by the youth the other experience happened during the celebration of catechetical month in the diocese attended by children their parents and the catechists instead of giving a conference i interviewed some children about what they have learned in catechism classes many of them gave wonderful answers that must have affirmed the catechists but one girl raised her hand i asked her what her significant experience of her catechist was to which she answered quiet quiet quiet then the girl sat down that was her experience of catechism [Laughter] why are you laughing this experience has prompted me to reflect on joy in the lives of the baptized and lay and ordained ministers even in ordinary life there are many reasons why we feel tired empty and joyless but i asked myself is it possible that one reason for the loss of joy in a baptized person or a minister of the church is the lack or weakening of the sense of mission without a commitment to mission the priesthood of the baptized or consecrated life and the ministerial priesthood are deprived of joy why because the priesthood of christ is intrinsically linked to his mission end of introduction i now go to three simple points i hope they will sound simple the first point the priesthood of christ according to the letter to the hebrews according to the author of the letter jesus's unique priesthood which surpasses and fulfills all other forms of priesthood is a priesthood of a holy life a life that is sacrifice now the word sacrifice does not mean suffering sacrifice satur or set apart a future to make to make holy that sacrifice and therefore [Music] a life made holy is pleasing to god it is the sacrifice acceptable to god there are two main components to jesus's priesthood and sacrifice of a holy life the first is his total obedience to the father who sent him hebrew says and i quote on coming into the world jesus said sacrifice and offering you did not desire but a body you have prepared for me holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight in then i said as is written of me in the book i have come to do your will o god hebrews 10 5 to 7 the holiness of someone who in his body will do the will of god the second element of holiness is jesus's communion with and compassion mercy towards sinners this is holiness the letter to the hebrew says and i quote jesus was made for a little while lower than the angels that through god's gracious will he might taste death for the sake of all men and women indeed it was fitting that when bringing many children to glory god should make their leader in the work of salvation perfect through suffering he who consecrates and those who are consecrated have one and the same father therefore he is not ashamed to all them brothers and sisters hebrews 2 9-11 calling the sinners the wounded sinners as my brothers and sisters that's part of jesus's holy life the priesthood of jesus is completely missionary and continues to be so for he intercedes eternally for his brothers and sisters before the father in the heavenly sanctuary this is the priesthood that jesus shares with all the baptized and on the foundation of baptism with all ministers and states of life in the church jesus's priesthood is a holy missionary life remove mission there will be no joy no joy in those who share in the priesthood of christ in baptism in other states of life and in the ministerial priesthood the second point participating in the missionary priesthood of christ it is not surprising that jesus called disciples to be with him and to be sent by him as witnesses it's always that called to be with him in order to be sent during his public ministry and after his resurrection jesus called companions students or followers so that he could send them as his witnesses discipleship and mission are linked to each other as seen in the new testament texts for example he appointed 12 that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons mark 3 14 and 15. jesus said to his disciples it was not you who chose me but i who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain john 15 16 and we are today glad to hear again the words as the father loves me so i also love you remain in my love so we will say oh so i remain with you but then jesus will also say as the father has sent me so i send you those are not contradictory in the mind of jesus remaining in him and being sent by him while remaining in him the ones jesus loves are the ones he sends dangerous love the more he loves you the more he sends you when jesus sent his disciples he promised that the holy spirit would accompany them he says when the advocate comes whom i will send you from the father the spirit of truth that proceeds from the father he will testify to me and you also testify because you have been with me from the beginning you have been with me so now go and testify john 15 26-27 we are in awe of having been called to belong to jesus and share in his mission it is the joy not of creating or promoting one's own project but of participating in god's salvific plan in the missions of jesus and the holy spirit it is the joy not of inventing one's message but of proclaiming what one has heard seen looked upon and touched of the word of life it is the joy not of boasting of one's knowledge of the lord but of humbly being led by the holy spirit's testimony to jesus it is the joy not of being obsessed with achievements degrees i have a doctorate you [Music] only a master's degree i deserve the cathedral you deserve a village perish that's not joy it's obsession with achievements it is the joy of gratitude to him who makes weak and sinful disciples strong by his grace we wish every baptized christian would experience the joy of being a disciple missionary without a vibrant friendship with jesus mission easily becomes a burdensome work performed by so-called missionaries who feel more like slaves than friends of jesus and witnesses to the good news but without mission discipleship might become a lifeless prison i met a former student of mine in the country to which his religious superior had sent him this is a religious ordained minister from the conversation i learned that in the village where he ministered there was only one catholic only one catholic sorry for him i asked him if he were not frustrated that after almost 15 years of rigorous religious and seminary formation he would end up having only one parishioner but with the serene smile he said that one catholic is my flock i will give to him all of my love and energy mission gives a baptized in an ordained religious zeal and joy even if you have only one parishioner we need to add immediately that while jesus called his disciples by name in a uniquely personal manner he also called them to be with other disciples as qiara reminded us saint augustine with you i am a christian he sent them on mission with other disciples and missionaries discipleship forms community which in turn becomes the womb that begets other disciples mission forms community which in turn becomes the flame that fires up other missionaries according to the first letter of john the proclamation of the word of life by a disciple missionary to a listener has for its purpose and i quote so that you too may have communion with us for our communion is with the father and with his son jesus christ we are writing this so that our joy may be complete the first letter of john chapter 1 3 and 4. the christian community as narrated by the first letter of john began in a very simple manner by which a disciple shares jesus to a listener who upon receiving jesus forms a bond of communion with the proclaimer but that fellowship or communion between two or three persons is indeed a communion with the father and with jesus the divine and the human simple human interaction or conversation centered on the word of life that fosters unity i think needs to be encouraged in our time especially in families schools work places recreation centers hospitals social media during coffee break and simple gatherings of friends sometimes we make things very complicated evangelization it is a conversation it is a conversation about jesus we also need to emphasize the proclamation of the word in dialogue with all the nations cultures and tongues of the world the communion of the christian community is not meant only for smooth personal and working relationships among ourselves it is essential to authentic discipleship and missionary witness jesus prayed i pray not only for them but also for those who will believe in me through their word so that they may be one as you father are in me and i in you that they also may be in us that the world may believe that you sent me john 17. so the communion of disciples and missionaries you know either gives testimony or denies the truth about jesus the unity of the father with jesus whom he sent must be mirrored in the unity of those sent to proclaim jesus in our contemporary world beset with nationalist and ethnic divisions discrimination armed conflicts inequality the communion of disciple missionaries from different walks of life and nations testifies to the truth of jesus the recent lord clearly stated go therefore and make disciples of all nations matthew 28. and the disciples from their nations will go to other nations and as one community of diverse nations they will go together to all human social cultural economic spaces in the spirit of dialogue centered on the word the joy of priestly mission springs from the conviction that christians belong to each other and to all human beings because we belong to jesus it is the joy not of independence but of relationships it is the joy not of self-sufficiency but of core responsibility it is the joy not of lording it over others but of journeying with them it is the joy not of group or national superiority but of mutual respect appreciation and enrichment we wish christians could ignite this joy in the world grown tired of individualism suspicion and fear of the other when destructive and dehumanizing competition enters the christian community and its mission the whole world becomes a lonelier and darker place may the groanings of despair rising from all corners of the world indeed from the whole of creation we hope would turn into a symphony of joy through the communion of hearts and the voices of disciple missionaries of jesus christ from all nations i met a filipino woman working as a babysitter here in italy there are many many filipinos here in italy she admitted that every time she prepares the meals of the two italian children under her care she wonders who is preparing the meals of her children in the philippines this is the this is the daily cross or maybe even crucifixion of a migrant parent but to my surprise and consolation she added but when i look at the two beautiful italian children before me i promise that i would give them the love that my own children deserve this disciple missionary mother bridges families nations and cultures and i want to say the world is a better place because of her the third and final point priesthood ministry and mission i served as a seminary rector for many years i think around 15 years the words i used to address to the bishop during the ordination of a deacon or a presbyter always struck me always struck me i used to say as rector most reverent father holy mother church asks you to ordain this our brother to the responsibility of the diaconate or priesthood then the ordaining bishop responds do you know him to be worthy you have to sound episcopal and uh and my response according to the ritual was after inquiry among the christian people and upon the recommendation of those responsible i testify that he has been found worthy the bishop closes by saying relying on the help of the lord god and our savior jesus christ we choose this our brother for the order of the diaconate or priesthood the community says thanks be to god or applauds now those who have attended many ordinations might consider this opening right as a formality but no it contains a spirituality and theology that the church has kept sacred for centuries so let us dwell on some of the details the the right is very clear it is not the person to be ordained that asks for ordination it is holy mother church that asks the bishop to ordain a person no one can call oneself no one can present oneself and no one can apply for ordination there are some canonists here i always have a problem with that now we ask candidates to apply and then during the ordination there's no application okay let me finish this no one declares oneself as worthy of ordination it is the discernment of the christian people and those responsible that establishes the worthiness of a person for ministry the bishop openly declares that ultimately the church relies on the help of the lord god and jesus christ in accepting someone to ordained ministry now please don't get me wrong without denying the profoundly personal aspect of the baptismal calling and the calling to ministry and to uh religious life we should not forget the essential essential role of the church in discerning and calling someone to ministry and therefore the role of the church in sending someone if discipleship and ministry become purely personal pursuits of self-fulfillment something is lacking in my heart so i will enter the seminary if discipleship and ministry become purely personal pursuits of self-fulfillment there will never be joy but only anxiety and apprehension caused by self-promotion and competition deepening the ministerial and missionary aspect of baptismal discipleship would enrich the discernment of vocations to ministry and states of life we can also revisit the role of the church community and its leaders and their criteria in discerning the needs of the community for ministers and apply them to our times in the spirit of the acts of the apostles chapter 1 15-26 the choice of matthias to replace judas iscariot the acts of the apostles chapter 6 1-6 the institution of the ministry of the seven in response to the needs of the greek speaking widows and acts 13 1-3 the setting aside of barnabas and saul by the holy spirit discerned by the prophets and teachers in antioch some of the criteria that were used now by the apostles then were the sacred scriptures the emerging pastoral needs respect for the ministry specific to each other the qualifications required by the ministry to name a few but they prayed they fasted and allowed god to act through them like casting of lots no one presented oneself as a candidate the church called them the church sent them i suppose all of us here are baptized can i presume that and i suppose all of us are in some form of ministry or state of life whether lay ministry or ordained ministry let me provoke a bit i would ask you to recall how you got where you are did you apply for the position were you called and commissioned by the church calling oneself presenting oneself obeying oneself and sending oneself where one chooses to go make people anxious not joyful may the joy of the lord be your strength i'm not in touch [Applause] thank you thank you quiet quiet that's it [Laughter] is that what i learned from thank you cardinal thagley as always you bring joy to the community and to each one of us and thank you for your insights and teaching us that we are not to blame for the bad things that we have done in our life because we didn't call ourselves or promote ourselves to be who we are today so thank you seriously speaking and it is wonderful for somebody to remind us constantly that we do more with a smile and joy and happiness that comes from the fact that it is the holy spirit it is god within us that guides us and teaches us and moves us to do what we have to do in our lives as priests as missionaries whatever it may be and it's not important the time or the place it is the fact that god has put us where we are in this particular moment so thank you so much cardinal tagli

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Length: 38min 31sec (2311 seconds)

Published: Sun Feb 20 2022