Browsing by Subject "Vision"

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How African Small Christian Communities Implement the Pastoral and Missionary Vision of Vatican II
(Tangaza University College, 2013-07) Healey, Joseph G.
As we continue to celebrate the 50-year Anniversary of the Second Vatican Council we recall the historical foundations of African Small Christian Communities (SCCs) in the People of God Model of Church and in the communion ecclesiology of Vatican II.A study of five documents of Vatican II reveals that Small Christian Communities are one of the great fruits of the council and an awakening of the church as the People of God. The founding fathers of AMECEA had a vision of implementing Vatican II’s ecclesiology of communion in Eastern Africa that focused on the communion (koinonia) and service (diakonia) aspects. Both African Synods built on the foundations of Vatican II and highlighted the pastoral and missionary role of SCCs. We can look at the praxis of SCCs in Eastern Africa though the lens of the three speakers at the Theological Symposium 2013. Pastoral, parish-based SCCs are part of the “new face” of the parish and a significant part of a new way of being parish from below. The parish is a communion or network of SCCs within the “communion of communities” ecclesiology. We are optimistic that the experience of SCCs as a New Model of Church from the grassroots as witnessed by SCC members in Africa will bring significant changes in new pastoral structures corresponding to our contemporary communion ecclesiology and the ecclesial reality on the local level.
The New Vision for Tangaza
(Tangaza University College, 1995-04)
On 21st February 1995, there was general assembly in the Hall at Tangaza. The main agenda of the meeting was based on the future of Tangaza or dreams about the Tangaza, if you like "the Tangaza we want in the near future". lt was good to dream since erpedence shows us that "Dreams are realized if therc is commibnent to them." The purpose was to find ways to improve Tangaza College so that it can meet the challenges of today. Each speaker expressed his views, opinion, suggestion or dreams. Below are the speeches made by different speakers. Our aim is to try to see the future of Tangaza through proposals, dreams suggestions etc. However our dreams, needs a limit othena/se needing allthings may do more harm than good to Tangaza.
The Vision of Bishop Melchior De Marion Bresillac on Mission and Its Implementations in the Third Millennium
(Tangaza University College, 2001-02) Raj Arokiaraj, Sebastin
like telling stories. So, I begin with a story. The leader of a certain Indian tribe encamped at the base of a mountain was dying. The chief summoned his three sons and said, "I am dying and one of you must succeed me as head of the tribe. I want each of you to climb our holy mountain and bring back something beautiful. The one whose gift is the most outstanding will succeed me". After several days the sons returned. The first brought his father a flower which grew near the summit and was extremely rare and beautiful. The second brought his father a stone which was colourful, smooth and round, having been polished by the rain and sandy winds. The third son's hands were empty. He said: "Father, I have brought nothing back to show you. As I stood on top of the holy mountain, I saw that on the other side was a beautiful land filled with green pastures and a crystal lake. And I have a vision of where our tribe could go for a better life. I was so over whelmed by what I saw and by what I was thinking that I could not bring anything back". The father replied: "You shall be our tribe's new leader, for you have brought back the most important gift of all - the gift of a vision for a better future". A vision of a better future for humanity is what 'Mission ad Genies' is all about. It was Melchior de Marion Bresillac's vision of a better future for the Indian Mission and its people which caused him so much frustration. He could not over come the challenges that he met during his time in India. For, "He was preaching a Gospel which championed the equality of everyone before God". Eventually, he found that he could no longer carry out his missionary vision. So, he resigned and came back to Rome. I will explore further these issues in chapters first and two. Even then, he did not give up his vision, -to proclaim the Gospel to the most abandoned". This vision of a better future for Africa and its people was to led to the foundation of the Society of African Missions in the middle of the 19th century. Though it cost him, his own life as well as that of his companions. his vision lived on and spread all across the vast continent of Africa. That's what my third chapter is all about. My fourth chapter is about the validity of de Bresillac vision on the Society and how the SMA is faithful to his own vision of mission. 'Mission ad Genies', is at the core of SMA activity. It is a vital step in our effort to be true and faithful to the missionary calling and charism of the Society, in the view of our founder. It is always present in different contexts, in villages, in cities, in people of various social conditions. Mission is always -Frontier". Through our missionary presence, we are bearers of the Good News wherever we are. I link this concept of 'Mission ad Genies' with Bishop de Bresillac's desire to go to "most abandoned".
The Vision Of The Ecclesiology Of Pope Francis: A Focus On Its Missionary Dimension In The Light Of Evangelii Gaudium
(Tangaza University College, 2016-01) Munu, Chrysantus Mbiemieh
The charismatic words and gestures of Pope Francis continue to attract the attention of the entire world, Catholics and non-Catholics alike, and people of other religious practices and traditions from across the globe. For us Catholics, Francis’ vision of what it means to be Church in our contemporary society has slowly emerged towards mission that is, going forth to others since he became pope in March 2013.1 The Holy Father wants the Church to face outward - to have a “missionary option,” to acquire a “missionary key” (EG, 27, 33, 34). He believes that “to go out of ourselves and to join others is healthy for us,” as human beings and as a Church (EG, 87). This in itself is good in the order of nature and in the order of grace. In putting this into reality we imitate the Lord who went forth first proclaiming the Gospel to all (EG, no. 24). This missionary and charismatic overtone will eventually “affect the way we communicate the message” of the Gospel to those we encounter (EG, no. 34). It is from this backdrop that Paul Zulehner in his contribution on the “Missionary Transformation of the Church” points out to the fact that behind the central issue of mission lies the question of the Church’s vision, by which the Holy Father is guided in his pontificate. It is primarily characterized by the renunciation of a moralizing approach in favor of a healing and therapeutic approach on the part of the Church; in which Francis refer to ahierarchy of truths and to compassion as the guiding principle in pastoral ministry.2 It is from this perspective that he says the Church must be freed of its structural, middle-class-focused self-absorption, for the church will only be healed by finding its way towards people on the periphery of life.3 Flowing from this one can conclude without an iota of doubt that the ecclesiological perspective of Francis is both appealing in its vitality and overwhelming in the challenges it presents to both the Christian community as a whole and to the individual believer. Even though Pope Francis has not written a systematic treatise on the church per se, a number of salient ecclesiological themes are present in his writings and in the talks he has delivered.4 Francis wants a Church that is on mission, reaching out to others and accompanying them, especially those on the periphery; a merciful Church that is hospitable for all those who have been wounded in this world; a Church that builds bridges, not walls. He wants a church that is poor and for the poor, one that rejects careerism; a church that is committed to encounter, inclusion and reconciliation, not one that is confrontational, self-referential or judgmental.5 He wants a synodal church, in which the bishops and faithful people walk together and authority is understood as service. The aim of this long essay will therefore be to show the missionary dimension of Pope Francis’ ecclesiology in the light of Evangelii Gaudium and its challenges towards the transformation of our contemporary society. To accomplish this task, the work will be compartmentalized into four chapters. Chapter one, will target the preliminary considerations that surround this topic and will eventually set a background to the entire work. In chapter two, we will explore the vision of his ecclesiology in the light of mission that is the church as communion, a church in solidarity and a servant church which will form the bedrock on which the entire work will depend.6 This vision of the Church faces challenges both from within and without the Church which is characterized by individualism, materialism among others. These tendencies or obstacles are in opposition to Francis’ missionary transformation. This will form the basis of chapter three. And finally, chapter four will focus on Francis’ vision of a vibrant and accommodative Church in the light of his ecclesiology. The work will end with a conclusion and a select bibliography.