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The 16 Documents of Vatican II

Resolution 

Reflection 243   Based on the Vatican II document 
On the Mission Activity of the Church
Ad Gentes  - 25

(Comments welcome here)


This article speaks about seminary training for the future missionary:
in short he must be a totally submissive Superman...something like the perfect wife described in the Old Testament

Well, that might be a bit cynical. There are many good points in the ideal portrayed here: 

For
such an exalted task, the future missionary is to be prepared by a special spiritual and moral training. For he must have the spirit of initiative in beginning, as well as that of constancy in carrying through what he has begun; he must be persevering in difficulties, patient and strong of heart in bearing with solitude, fatigue, and fruitless labor. He will encounter men with an open mind and a wide heart; he will gladly take up the duties which are entrusted to him; he will with a noble spirit adapt himself to the people's foreign way of doing things and to changing circumstances; while in the spirit of harmony and mutual charity, he will cooperate with his brethren and all who dedicate themselves to the same task, so that together with the faithful, they will be one heart and one soul in imitation of the apostolic community.

These habits of mind should be earnestly exercised already in his time of training; they should be cultivated, and should be uplifted and nourished by the spiritual life. Imbued with a living faith and a hope that never fails, the missionary should be a man of prayer. Let him have an ardent spirit of power and of love and of prudence. Let him learn to be self - sufficing in whatever circumstances; always bearing about in himself the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may work in those to whom he is sent, out of zeal of souls, let him gladly spend all and be spent himself for souls, so that "by the daily practice of his duty he may grow in the love of God and neighbor." Thus obedient to the will of the Father together with Christ, he will continue His mission under the hierarchical authority of the Church

Jesus, in future please let documents like this be written by people who have spent a decade or three  in mission lands....then such writing will be more down to earth

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