Ministry Approach
"It is not the actual physical exertion that counts towards one's progress, nor the nature of the task, but by the spirit of faith with which it is undertaken."
- St. Francis Xavier
Aspects of Our Ministry
Our ministry in Asia encompasses three areas of missionary work:
evangelization
faith formation
social justice
Below is a brief overview of what each of these areas may involve. How these aspects are lived out in one’s ministry is characterized by each missionary’s experience, interests, skills, charisms, and region, but mostly by the work of the Holy Spirit and the openness to being transformed by Him.
Evangelization
Sharing our faith with others begins with openness to the Holy Spirit and the witness of our lives, and continues with developing sincere relationships with others. The more meaningful and genuine your relationship with others is, the more efficaciously the Holy Spirit can work through you to touch others’ lives as well as your own.
To evangelize in this way means being open to and often actively engaging with others throughout your day, whether riding the bus or metro, at the grocery store, in a restaurant or cab, or at work, school or play. You need to be constantly aware of your surroundings, attuned to the needs of others around you and be able to approach in a conscientious manner and offer an invitation of friendship, hospitality or simple kindness.
Evangelization is living out your faith in every aspect of your daily life, being open and accepting of God at work within you, being Christ’s presence in the lives of others, and serving Him with integrity, humbleness, generosity and trust.
Faith Formation
Like evangelization, forming relationships with others is key to deepening Christians’ understanding of their faith and their relationship with Jesus Christ. These last two aspects are the main focus of faith formation: building a deep and intimate relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ, and growing in the understanding of our faith, especially as it applies to our lives.
Much of our faith formation activities also focuses on the empowerment of the laity as members of the Body of Christ and discerning God’s call in one’s life.
It is also important to assess the needs of the community through our own personal evaluation as well as listening to the expressed needs and desires of those whom we serve. Through this kind of assessment, we can help develop faith formation programs that best serve the needs and growth of the faith communities that we serve.
Part of our efforts in faith formation is to empower and train the local laity to serve in various capacities of leadership and service so that the programs and activities we help develop do not become overly dependent on ourselves. This is also important for developing a strong, self-sustaining faith community.
Missionaries will receive formational training to develop and lead young adult fellowships, Bible studies, catechism classes, discernment workshops, prayer groups, faith sharing groups, book groups, retreats, socials, praise and worship, and offering pastoral counseling.
On the last mention, pastoral counseling and, indeed, the relationships we form with those in our ministry are the foundation of our ability to serve well. We encourage, we inspire, we offer hope and support, we listen, we love.
Social Justice
“Whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for me.” – Matthew 28:40
There is much suffering, difficulty and inequality present in our world that opens up a myriad of opportunities to act with compassion and justice. From poverty to violence against women, environmental degradation to racial inequality, our faith demands us to play an active role and take responsibility as Christians for the welfare of those around us so that all might know the compassion and mercy of the Lord.
Missionaries stay informed of important social issues, focusing on a couple areas they care about most to incorporate as part of their ministry. In non-disruptive but significant ways, our missionaries promote education, awareness, advocacy and action to address some of the major social justice issues that exist in their respective region. Whether working on a regular basis to develop a shelter or services for abused women, organizing monthly service trips to visit special needs children in an orphanage, or doing hospitality and service outreach for immigrants and underserved populations, our missionaries seek to bring awareness to important social issues and through works of mercy become the hands and feet of Christ.
Be Part of the Mission to Touch the Lives of Others
Evangelization
Sharing our faith with others begins with openness to the Holy Spirit and the witness of our lives, and continues with developing sincere relationships with others. The more meaningful and genuine your relationship with others is, the more efficaciously the Holy Spirit can work through you to touch others’ lives as well as your own.
To evangelize in this way means being open to and often actively engaging with others throughout your day, whether riding the bus or metro, at the grocery store, in a restaurant or cab, or at work, school or play. You need to be constantly aware of your surroundings, attuned to the needs of others around you and be able to approach in a conscientious manner and offer an invitation of friendship, hospitality or simple kindness.
Evangelization is living out your faith in every aspect of your daily life, being open and accepting of God at work within you, being Christ’s presence in the lives of others, and serving Him with integrity, humbleness, generosity and trust.
