His Theology of Mission
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I. A joyful, positive message
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II. A warm & beautiful Church
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III. A missionary Church
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IV. A merciful Church
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V. A poor Church serving the poor
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VI. A discerning, pilgrim Church
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An inspiring vision rather than a critique of
the world
A joy ever new, a joy ever shared. #1
“A sinner” who has experienced the healing
love of Christ
And wants to share this
Mission is not about winning an argument.
“Only the beauty of God can attract.”
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We need a church unafraid of going forth into their
night. We need a church capable of meeting them on
their way. We need a church capable of entering into
their conversation.
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"Unless we train ministers capable of warming
people's hearts, of walking with them in the night, of
dialoguing with their hopes and disappointments, of
mending their brokenness, what hope can we have for
our present and future journey?"
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We need to know and show joy
Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its
own interests and concerns, there is no longer room
for others, no place for the poor. God’s voice is no
longer heard, the quiet joy of his love is no longer
felt, and the desire to do good fades. #2
 “Life grows by being given away, and it weakens in
isolation and comfort.”. #10
 I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty
because it has been out on the streets, rather than a
Church which is unhealthy from being confined and
from clinging to its own security. #49
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What “the church needs most today is the ability to heal wounds and to
warm the hearts of the faithful; it needs nearness, proximity. I see the
church as a field hospital after battle.”
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The church must be a place of mercy freely given where everyone can
feel welcome, loved, forgiven, and encouraged to live the Gospel. #114
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The Church is called to be the house of the Father, with doors always
wide open. One concrete sign of such openness is that our church doors
should always be open, so that if someone, moved by the Spirit, comes
there looking for God, he or she will not find a closed door. …. This is
especially true of the sacrament which is itself “the door”: baptism. The
Eucharist, although it is the fullness of sacramental life, is not a prize for
the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak. #47
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Jesus doesn’t demand formal rites of repentance
Often he just dines with “sinners”, and
scandalously touches or is touched by them
He understands that those who lack everything
are also condemned to live in shame without
honour and dignity
This does not mean that he believes that the
commandments are unimportant, but spiritual
progress takes time and right now they need
acceptance, love and confidence
Grace comes before judgement in the reign of
God
Reading the Scriptures also makes it clear that the Gospel
is not merely about our personal relationship with God.
#180
 To evangelize is to make the kingdom of God present in
our world. #176
 It is essential to draw near to new forms of poverty and
vulnerability, in which we are called to recognize the
suffering Christ….. I think of the homeless, the addicted,
refugees, indigenous peoples, the elderly who are
increasingly isolated and abandoned, and many others.
#210
 Special place for the poor …it means working to eliminate
the structural causes of poverty and to promote the
integral development of the poor. #188
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Deus semper major
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Pilgrim church always searching, crossing frontiers &
journeying to the outskirts to find God in all things
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Respecting others & befriending the world
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We will need developed skills at discernment to
recognise God in he world
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and to be both just and merciful
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Discernment done in consolation and not out of fear
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I dream of a “missionary option”, that is, a
missionary impulse capable of transforming
everything, so that the Church’s customs,
ways of doing things, times and schedules,
language and structures can be suitably
channelled for the evangelization of today’s
world rather than for her self-preservation.
#27
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I. A joyful, positive message

II. A warm & beautiful Church

III. A missionary Church

IV. A merciful Church
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V. A poor Church serving the poor
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VI. A discerning, pilgrim Church
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Are we still personally and as a community
capable of warming hearts?
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How can we better welcome the poor, the
sinners and marginalised, those who are
condemned to live in shame, without
honour and dignity?