This Sunday, 15th September, parishes across England and Wales will celebrate Evangelii Gaudium Sunday. Formerly known as Mission Sunday, we focus on our Baptismal vocation to “Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations”.
Named after Pope Francis first encyclical, “The Joy of the Gospel”, this Sunday is an opportunity to reflect on the theme of ‘Growing as Missionary Disciples”.
Bishop David, Chair of the Bishop’s Conference department for evangelisation and discipleship, reminds us that “Through baptisms sm we are bought into a new relationship with the trinity God in which we become missionaries”.
A second collection will be taken this weekend to support the work of evangelisation nationally through the Bishop’ Conference mission team. Director of Mission for the Bishop’ Conference, Fr Jan Nowotnik said
“At the heart of the work which the mission team engages in are the pathways offered to us by Pope Francis in Evangelii Gaudium creating the opportunities for all to find the space to encounter the Lord in personal prayer and to be confident in both proclaiming and living the faith. This work is the golden thread which runs through the national activities of the bishops and helps to point out these new pathways in the journey to come as Pope Francis said in 2013”
Our diocesan mission begins in our parishes and Bishop David has spoken of this many times since his episcopal ordination in 2020. Recently he said
“When a parish becomes intentionally missional, that means it takes on the characteristic of those who are proclaiming the kingdom of God in our society today”.
