By Rev. Joseph G. Healey, M.M.

Picture these three events or "moments" to celebrate world mission in Rome during this Jubilee Year 2000.

I. International Missiological Congress

Almost 500 specialists and interested people participated in the International Missiological Congress at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome from 17-20 October, 2000 on the theme " Who Do You Say I Am? - Missiological and Missionary Responses in the Context of Religions and Cultures." The meeting was co-sponsored by the Pontifical Urban University and the International Association of Catholic Missiologists. The congress addressed a central question in mission theology and practice today: "How to proclaim the salvation brought by Christ in a pluralist, and at times relativist, society?" Stated another way, the participants studied inculturation, one of the most debated theological issues in recent years, in the question: "How can the Gospel be proclaimed in an Asian or African or Latin American language without diminishing in any way the person and message of Jesus Christ?" Papers were presented from the viewpoints and experience of Europe and North America, India, Africa and Latin America.

The International Association of Catholic Missiologists (IACM) held its Constitutive Assembly on 21 October. Rev. John Gorski, M.M. from Bolivia was elected President and Sister Teresa Okure, S.H.C.J. of Nigeria the Vice President. The main objective of the association is to place missiology at the service of the evangelizing mission of the Local Churches.

II. Celebrating the World Mission Congress

1,200 delegates from 132 countries participated in the World Mission Congress that took place in the Mariapolis Center in Castel Gandolfo outside of Rome from 18-22 October, 2000. 41 African countries were represented. During the meeting one of the national delegations met daily for evening prayer and reflected on the question: "Where did you see the face of God today?" Here are some of the author's personal experiences that are special moments to remember especially from an African perspective. One moment was the whole assembly standing to joyfully and enthusiastically clap, sway and sing the official song of the congress Jesus Is the Source of Life; all waved the brightly coloured congress scarves that included the flags of all the countries and "Jubilee of the Mission" printed in eight languages including Swahili: "Jubilei ya Kimisionari." Here was a powerful witness of the unity of the inculturated World Church.

Another moment was the Missionary Jubilee Eucharistic Celebration in English at St. Paul's Basilica. The Prayers of the Faithful (General Intercessions) were in different languages. Mrs. Helena Khamsini, a lay delegate from Tanzania, had the paper with the fifth and last intention printed in English. But when she heard the Chinese and Indian women speak in their own languages Helena was filled with a missionary spirit and spontaneously translated her intercession into Swahili.

Throughout the congress delegates sung, danced, drummed and performed their experience of mission. An impressive feature was the personal testimonies in the inculturated "Voices from the Continents" sessions.

III. Celebrating World Mission Sunday in St. Peter's Square

The climax of the week was the celebration of World Mission Sunday on 22 October that was the year 2000's official "Jubilee of Missionaries." On a beautiful sunny day 70,000 faithful jammed into St. Peter's Square in Rome together with 50 bishops and 700 priests concelebrants. In his Year 2000 Message for World Mission Sunday Pope John Paul II stated: "Celebrating the Jubilee of the Holy Year 2000, the whole Church is even more committed to a new missionary advent. We must increase our apostolic zeal to pass on to others the light and the joy of the faith."

The pope dedicated his homily to analyzing the "meaning and style" of Christian mission. Recalling Christ's example, he summarized its essence in four words: "service, poverty, humility and the cross." Pope John Paul II then referred to "all missionaries who, day by day, in silence and without the support of any human power, proclaim and, even before that, witness their love for Jesus, often to the point of giving their lives, as happened recently." Five expatriate missionaries have died in Africa in this month of October, 2000 alone.

A special moment for this writer was the Prayers of the Faithful (General Intercessions). As the intercessions were read in Chinese and Arabic in clear, loud voices, one could only think: Along with the various Indian languages, here is what the challenge of "ad gentes" mission is really all about: Billions of people are still waiting to hear the "Good News of Jesus Christ." The intercession in Swahili by catechist Sylvester Changwa from Iringa, Tanzania bought to mind the missionary challenge to Africa and the African saying: To be called is to be sent.

At the end of the Eucharistic Liturgy, Pope John Paul II conferred his mandate on 12 missionaries who will evangelize in the different continents and gave each of them a cross. Several missionaries gave the Pope earth from all the continents in one pot in which the Pontiff planted an olive. He commented: "An olive is planted in this 'earth of all lands,' a symbol of peace, in memory of this Jubilee Day. The Gospel of Christ, in fact, is the Gospel of peace. May all peoples open themselves to Christ and find the way of peace."

This festival of world mission ended with the release of hundreds of white, red, yellow, green and blue balloons, symbols of the five continents, rising higher and higher into the clear blue October sky over St. Peter's Basilica and symbolically saying: "Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation" (Mark 16:15).

Joseph G. Healey, M.M. is a Maryknoll missionary priest and the Chairperson of the Mission Awareness Committee (MAC) of the Religious Superiors' Association of Tanzania based in Dar es Salaam. He is co-author of Towards An African Narrative Theology (Paulines Publications Africa, 3^rd Reprint, 2000 and Orbis Books, 2^nd printing, 1999).

Rev. Joseph G. Healey, M.M.
Maryknoll Missioners
P.O. Box 867
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

24 October, 2000