Pope Francis states that AsiaNews in Spanish should be a tool to raise awareness of mission , spreading the Gospel "to the margins of the world" to enhance mutual charity. The Spanish edition of AsiaNews an opportunity for the Churches of Latin America to open up even more to the Pope's model of universal mission.

Vatican City ( AsiaNews ) - Pope Francis has sent a message to AsiaNews on the occasion of the symposium held yesterday to celebrate the news agency's 10th anniversary. During the symposium it was announced that AsiaNews will soon launch an edition in Spanish, the Pope's own language.

In the message, signed by the Secretary of State, Card. Tarcisio Bertone, the Pope invites the news agency "to intensify its efforts to raise missionary awareness and activity," to spread " the saving message of the Gospel to the margins of the world," to strengthen " the close communion between the local Churches, intimately united with the successor of Peter, " and augment "generosity in helping each other".
And invoking his blessing for AsiaNews, its friends and collaborators, Pope Francis "asks all to pray for him and for the fruits of his service to the holy People of God."

During the seminar, the director of AsiaNews, Fr . Bernardo Cervellera said: "We believe that the immediate future of the Church and the world lies in Asia. The election of Pope Francis, who comes from the ends of the earth, from the Latin American continent, reinforces this perception. Asia has been in Pope Bergoglio's heart since his seminary years [ the pope wanted to be a missionary in Japan - ed] and is the continent he has chosen for his next journey in 2014.
In his transition from mission in Latin America to mission throughout the world, we see a sign : we want to use to AsiaNews to help raise awareness among the churches and peoples of Latin America about mission in Asia. For this reason we have decided to launch an edition in Spanish".

The articles in Spanish, translated by a priest and a layman from Argentina, will begin to appear from now on, on an experimental basis .

Here is the full text of the message sent by the Holy Father to AsiaNews :

His Holiness Pope Francis cordially greets the organizers and participants in the Symposium , entitled "10 years of Asia , 10 years of our story" , to be held in Rome on October 9 and during which the Spanish edition of ' AsiaNews agency of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, will be officially launched.

Similarly, the Holy Father invites participants and organizers to intensify efforts to raise missionary awareness and activities, so that the saving message of the Gospel reaches the margins of the world, while enhancing the close communion between the local Churches, intimately united with the successor of Peter, and increasing their generous help of each other.

With these sentiments, and invoking the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Pope asks you to pray for him and for the fruits of his service to the holy People of God, while he in turn imparts his heartfelt Apostolic Blessing.

Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone