Teaching mission of the Church

Euntes ergo docete omnes gentes,¹ go and teach all nations. For twenty centuries the Holy Church of Jesus Christ, faithful to her Founder’s command, has been carrying out her mission to teach all people the way of Salvation, Truth and Life. And she has always experienced, sometimes in particularly turbulent historical periods, the fulfilment of Our Lord’s promise: et ecce ego vobiscum sum omnibus diebus, usque ad consummationem saeculi (Matt 28:20); and I will be with you always, to the consummation of the world.

Progress of the apostolate

Since those humble beginnings, when the Apostles received from God the mission to announce the Gospel throughout a world plunged in the darkness of error, a long path has been travelled. And, in spite of the resistance we humans put up to the light, we can joyfully repeat the words of Scripture: Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals, she cries aloud (Prov 8:1-3).

But there is still a long way to go to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph 4:12-13).