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Pope Francis told gatherings of clergy, religious sisters, and catechists in Indonesia and PNG that proclaiming the Gospel does not mean “imposing one’s own faith or opposing it to others, proselytising”.
He said proclaiming the Gospel should “always be done with great respect and fraternal affection for all”.
Fraternal living means “accepting one another and recognising each other as equals in our differences” Francis said.
It is important “in a world in which the tendency to divide, assert and provoke seems to be increasing”.
Christian charity is necessary as it requires we get closer to one another, he said.
Evangelise with patience, Francis recommended.
Missionary work means accepting people’s “dreams and desires for liberation and justice”.
It means caring for people, supporting them and working with them, Francis explained. Including others in this work is necessary to “widen the net and the boundaries in a great, expanding dynamic of love”.
“We need to let go of everything that stops us from getting in touch with those who are down and so lift them up and give them new hope” he said.
Indonesia
The Pope praised the Church in Indonesia for its fraternal tradition.
He said he could see the “openness with which it deals with the different realities that make it up and surround it, on a cultural, ethnic, social and religious level”.
Papua New Guinea
In Papua New Guinea Francis heard of testimonies about the joy and difficulties catechists and clergy experience when evangelising people.
“Don’t be discouraged by difficulties or misunderstandings, even when they arise in places where we especially do not want to encounter them” Francis said.
Among those who spoke was a woman who went to the Synod on Synodality last year.
Praising her, Francis said it is possible to show how beautiful it is to follow Jesus together and proclaim His gospel among people.
