The popular Mission is a simple way to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all the People of God. It is the fulfillment of Christ’s missionary mandate: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who belives and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not belive will be condemned”[1].
The popular Mission follows the missionary mandate of Christ, which is well expressed by St. Louis Marie Grignon de Montfort who says that it is a “renewal of Christianity in believers” and St. Alphonsus Liguori, says that “the purpose of the missions, is the conversion of sinners.”
Blessed John Paul II teaches that the popular Mission “is effective when … it drives conversion, that is, to return to the truth and friendship of God to those who had lost faith and grace through sin, called to a life more perfect to the christian routines, fervor in souls, convince to life the beatitudes, and the bring vocations to the priesthood and religious life”[2].
The principle governing all missionary activity of our Religious Family, as its foundation, being revelation of the God’s salvific will is the rule that Paul made to his disciple Timothy, Bishop and Missionary: “God desires all men be saved and to come to knowledge of the Truth”[3].
Therefore, the missionaries of the Incarnate Word are convinced that God has not destined anyone to eternal damnation. We put all the ordinary and extraordinary means so that all men may be saved by Jesus Christ, the only Savior, so much to say with Saint Luis Orione: “Place me, O Lord, at the mouth of hell, that by your mercy I may close it.”
[2] Blessed John Paul II, «Misiones al pueblo para los años 80», 4