Pastoral and Missionary Commission

In continuity with the pastoral and spiritual itinerary proposed for 1997 and supported by the teaching aid "Who do you say that I am?", the Pastoral and Missionary Commission elaborated, after appropriate reflection, a second teaching aid, entitled "The Spirit Who is Lord and Who Gives Life," which contains an articulated series of pastoral proposals and instructions for the preparation of the great Jubilee during the year 1998.

It is an itinerary ever more centered on Jesus Christ and his work of redemption of man in whom is made to emerge, and all those are helped who make use of him to try, the presence and action of the Holy Spirit, in the actualization of this work of redemption. The proposal of the teaching aid is articulated in three parts:

The first part presents certain fundamental pastoral-missionary orientations, themes to assist in a reflection (meditation) and in the active celebration of the presence and action of the Spirit, which accompanies the whole development of the Father's salvation plan.

- realized in a perfect and definitive way in Christ,

- present in the life and the mission of the Church,

- operative in a mysterious way in human history.

In the light of biblical and patristic texts and the magisterium (in an essential way), a series of theologico-catechetical contents are developed and some consequent pastoral orientations are presented around the themes: the Holy Spirit in salvation history; the Holy Spirit and the mystery of Jesus Christ; the Spirit of the Church; the Spirit, humanity and the cosmos. For each of these themes the teaching aid also suggests to Christian communities a concrete sign-symbol-gesture of testimony to the action of the Spirit both for ecclesial and social life.

The second part offers - by means of biblical-catechetical-liturgical files - more concrete elements for a faith itinerary on the backdrop of the new evangelization. The proposed itinerary is developed, with attention to the context of the liturgical year, around two nuclei, or big steps, intimately connected:

a) The Holy Spirit and the mystery of Christ.

b) The Holy Spirit and the mystery of the Church

The cards (12) are to be used with ecclesial creativity and to be incarnated in specific ecclesial contexts, but which offer useful elements for all to reflect on personal and community experience; to place oneself in listening mode and to let oneself be illuminated-converted by the Word (both personally and in group sharing); to open oneself to celebration to prayer dialogue; to commit oneself concretely in works and gestures which manifest the Spirit's action.

The proposed themes are the following:

The Holy Spirit and the mystery of Christ

The Holy Spirit and the mystery of the Church

The third part, finally, presents operative indications to be actualized in the context of a community journey, but with particular attention to the sphere of the mission "Ad gentes" of pastorals relating to the family, associations and ecclesial groups. This part carries out a discourse aimed at the respective ecclesial subjects of reference, actualizing for them the contents on the Holy Spirit presented in the first part of the teaching aid.

The sphere relative to the "missio ad gentes" develops the theme in a transversal and global way with opportune orientations on how to fulfil this commitment, permanently in pastoral work, in formation and in the life of particular churches, families and ecclesial communities. The family sphere re-reads the theme of the Holy Spirit, departing from the exigencies and from the gift and duty proper to the Christian family with interesting suggestions for living it in one's own house, and in ecclesial and civil commitments. It also offers a concrete series of instructions on the signs and testimonies to be produced during the year 1998 to Christian families.

The sphere of ecclesial movements, groups and lay associations presents a detailed series of initiatives to be followed on the level of formation, of communion and of mission. In substance, the teaching aid unites different "languages" and aspects; biblical/theological, Christological/ecclesial, catechetical/pastoral, spiritual and of prayer, cultural.

It intends to offer to Christian communities useful indications and concrete aids so that they may be able to "walk in the way of the Spirit" in this year 1998, to manifest and witness to the fruits of the salvation worked in Christ and, in this way, drive with a renewed impulse one's own evangelizing and missionary duty, with the attitude of Mary, the total openness to the action of the Spirit, Mother of the one Savior and woman of hope.