Pope says Church must be missionary or die

Robert Mickens
22 May 2010

POPE BENEDICT XVI has expressed the hope that his first papal visit to the traditionally Catholic bastion of Portugal will be “an incentive for renewed spiritual and apostolic ardour” across Europe, saying the Church must bolster its missionary efforts or face “sure death”.

“In recent years the anthropological, cultural, social and religious framework of humanity has changed,” he said on 14 May in Lisbon at the final Mass of the four-day visit. “Today the Church is called to face new challenges, and is ready to dialogue with different cultures and religions, in the search for new ways of building, with all people of good will, the peaceful coexistence of peoples,” he added.

The Pope said Catholic missionary activity was “much broader today” than going to far distant lands. He said that a mission to traditionally Christian countries, whose people have begun turning away from the institutional Church, was also urgent. “We impose nothing, yet we propose ceaselessly,” he said. the rest