In a message to the 13th Inter-ecclesial Meeting of the Basic
Ecclesial Communities, Pope Francis said that the small groups should
show “a new evangelical impulse and the capacity to relate to the world
for the renewal of the Church.” Evangelization is a responsibility for all Christians, the Pope wrote in his message. He recalled the Latin American bishops’ statement, issued at a meeting in Aparecida, Brazil, that indicated base communities could be an instrument for promoting ““greater knowledge of the Word of God, social commitment in the name of the Gospel, the appearance of new lay services and education in faith for adults.”
The Pope’s message to the meeting, which is being held this week in Brazil, cautioned that the basic ecclesial communities should work within the context of local parishes, under the direction of the hierarchy.