“We are ambassadors for Christ…as his fellow

workers, we beg you once again not to neglect the

grace of God that you have received”

(2 Corinthians 5:20. 6:1)

We are “ambassadors for Christ”

What do we mean by ambassador?

ETYMOLOGY: • (ambassador)

Middle English ambassadour, from Old French ambassadeur, from Medieval

Latin ambactia, mission, from Latin ambactus, servant, ultimately of Celtic origin; see ag- in Indo-European roots.

Mission (mish’en) n. (Latin. missio, a sending, sending away < missus, pp. of mittere, to send) 1. a sending out or being sent out with authority to perform a special duty; specifically , a sending out of persons by a religious organization to preach, teach or proselyte.

( Webster’s New World Dictionary)

GOD THE FATHER

JESUS, THE MISSIONARY OF JESUS, THE MISSIONARY OF THE FATHER THE FATHER

The Holy Spirit (Church)

“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son

and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have

commanded you”

Matthew 28:19

“Guided by the Holy Spirit, the Church has gone by her way

over the centuries, sometimes with an uncertain step, but

never forgetting the great work she was established to

complete: “As the Father has sent me, even so I send you”

(John 20:21 ; Catechism of the Catholic Church -CCC 857-858)

A CHRISTIAN (apostle) is a baptized person into whose life

the Lord has called to be associated with Him in his work -

the work of the Father for the kingdom of heaven in the world -

salvation of the world.

IDENTITY - God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

THE MISSION OF JESUS IS TO DO THE WILL OF HIM

(GOD THE FATHER) WHO SENT HIM

“Every person should walk unhesitatingly according to his own personal gifts and duties in the path of

a living faith which arouses hope and works

through charity “(LG no. 4)

NATURE –The church is by

nature MISSIONARY

(Vatican II, Ad gentes, 2)

PRIEST - Sanctify

PROPHET - Teaching

KING - Witnessing

“I am the way, the truth and the life…”

• TRUTH - APOSTLES’ CREED (Teaching –PROPHET)

• LIFE – SACRAMENTS

(Sanctify – PRIEST)

• WAY – 10 COMMANDMENTS (Witness – KING)

“Having been divinely sent to the nations that

she might be ‘the universal sacrament of

salvation’, the church ,in obedience to

the command of her founder (Mt. 16:15)

… strives to preach the gospel to all men”

(Vatican II, decree on the Church’s missionary activity, Ad gentes)

AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST IDENTITY-One , Holy , Catholic, Apostolic

NATURE OF THE CHURCH MISSIONARY

-(Being sent to be light of the world, salt of the earth…)

“I invite you to THINK globally

ACT locally and LIVE contemplatively”

John Baptist Cardinal WuPapal Legate

during the National Mission congress Cebu City, September 28 – October 1, 2000

POPE BENEDICT XVI

WORLD MISSION SUNDAY

Pope Pius XI ordered the day of

Prayer and propaganda of Mission in the

whole World, on April 14, 1926

POPE PIUS XI

• 2nd to the Last Sunday of October be appointed as a day of prayer and propaganda for the mission throughout the world

• All homilies must refer to the world mission; inviting the people to be associated in the papal work

• Pontifical collections be for the World Mission

• Plenary indulgence, applicable to the souls in purgatory is granted – reception of Holy Communion and praying for conversion of pagans

MISSION: BREAD BROKEN FOR THE LIFE

OF THE WORLD

1. Humanity has need of Christ “Bread Broken”

2. The Church, one with Christ, becomes “broken bread”

3. Missionaries, bread broken for the life of the world

Humanity has need of Christ “Bread Broken”

“Jesus alone can satisfy

humanity’s hunger for love and thirst for

justice; He alone makes it possible for every human person to share

eternal life.”

“I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread

will live for ever” (John 5: 51)

The Church, one with Christ,

becomes “broken bread”

Mane Nobiscum Domine IV

EUCHARIST:PRINCIPLE AND PLAN OF

MISSION

Missionaries, bread broken for the life of the

world

1. Witnessing

Missionary Responses

2. Prayers / Sacrifices

3. Teaching and Proclamation

4. Contribution to the Universal Solidarity Fund

5. Mission ad gentes

21,728,486.46

19,639,117.79

21,318,719.19

20,486,939.64

19,470,893.87

19,436,962.93

23,784,662.81

0.00

10,000,000.00

20,000,000.00

30,000,000.00

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

What is a

You are a “Unique Person”

“Isang Bansa, Isang lahi at Isang Diwa”

- People of God- “Family of God”

Our need and source of our life.

&

2nd Person of The Holy Trinity

Jesus;

2 Greatest Commandments

Blessed TrinityGod the FatherGod the Son

God the Holy Spirit

Baptism

Church

Family(Community)

4 GOSPELS

Pontifical Missionary Societies

Matthew

MarkLuke

John

Four

Missionary Continents AsiaOceaniaEuropeAmericaAfricaFiv

e

“I invite you to THINK globallyACT locally and

LIVE contemplatively” John Baptist Cardinal Wu

Papal Legate during the National Mission congress

Cebu City, September 28 – October 1, 2000

“CELEBRATING THE EUCHARIST

WITH MARY”

Msgr. GILBERT GARCERA, HPNational Director

Pontifical Missionary Societies