New Evangelization
and ad Gentes
Mission of MST
FR. JUSTIN
VETTUKALLEL
If we say that
‘everything’ we do is
mission, then of course
nothing is mission,
because the deviations
from the thrust of
mission cannot be
justified at the expense
of the genuineness of
the core-orientation
of mission which has
specific functional
charge in the history
of salvation. So is the
case with the ad gentes
purpose of MST.
T
he Missionary Society of St Thomas the Apostle has ‘mission
ad gentes’ as its purpose of existence (MST constitution C.
2). Although in the formula of the promise of incorporation
to MST (MST Constitution, Appendix II) we make the promise to
‘dedicate to the work of evangelization,’ the word evangelization
was incorporated to explain the purpose of MST only in 2003,
when C.2 was expanded to include the multifaceted dimensions
and ministries of mission ad gentes. In the expanded version
of C.2 (the subsections a & b) one may feel that the use of the
phrase ‘evangelizing mission’ (quoting from Evagenlii Nuntiandi
18 and Mission Policy of the SM Church, 1.7) is to consider the
evangelization as part of mission ad gentes. There are some
missiologists who present evangelization as part of the ad gentes
mission, and there are also others who consider ad gentes mission
as part of the evangelization. Many of us missionaries do not care
about the nuances of the concepts like pastoral care, ‘mission ad
gentes’ or evangelization but fulfill the day today responsibilities
of the mission. For, we are sure that by carrying out the assigned
apostolate, we partake in the mission of Christ and His Church.
However, when the shortage of missionaries in the three regions
SANTHOME MISSION
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