Dhaka (AsiaNews) - Catholics, of every nation or continent, "should be missionaries. The life of the faithful, and not just that of the consecrated, is based on the Gospel proclamation. With your prayers and your work you can transform Asia and make it become a herald of Jesus Christ”. These were the words of Card. Filoni, prefect of Propaganda Fide, to the clergy and laity of Bangladesh. The bishop is in Asia for a visit in three stages: First Bangladesh, which ended three days ago, he is now in India, from where will leave tomorrow for Nepal until 19 September.
After celebrating the jubilee of the Diocese of Rajshahi, Card. Filoni met the bishops and Catholic leaders of the country: "Our church is not an institution or an organization. It must increasingly become an evangelizing Church, based on proclamation. It is not enough to know the Gospel or keep it within oneself on a personal level: we must bring the teachings of Jesus to others".
Proclaiming the Gospel, he added, "it is not an exclusive task of the religious or consecrated persons. It is a vital responsibility for every single lay person. The witness of Christian values must pass through their lives: by word and especially in actions we need to be true believers. "
In conclusion, the Cardinal answered some of these questions. Among these one posed by Nirmal Rozario, a lay leader, who asked: "After the pontificate of John Paul II, who has given much importance to Asia, what can we expect from Pope Francis?". Card. Filoni replied: "He has already visited many Asian nations and encouraged populations. But we have many other plans for this continent. "