Misyjne zaangażowanie zakonników reprezentujących rozmaite zakony oraz zgromadzenia misyjne stanowi w dużej mierze o dynamizmie misyjnym Kościoła. Od dawien dawna bowiem, zakony są postrzegane jako awangarda w dziele misyjnym. W tym kontekście jawią się zasadne pytania: jaka jest ich rola i czym się konkretnie zajmują? Nie mniej frapującym zagadnieniem jest to, czy konsekracja zakonna, czyli życie ślubami, przekłada się czy też ułatwia albo utrudnia misyjne zaangażowanie? Czy monastyczny tryb życia ma rację bytu na obszarach misyjnych? Poniższy tekst stara się odpowiedzieć na powyższe kwestie. Zarazem pragnie zachęcić czytelnika do dalszej pogłębionej refleksji nad rolą zakonników we współczesnym dziele misyjnym Kościoła. Nie ulega bowiem wątpliwości, że nowe paradygmaty misyjne, wskazane przez ostatnich papieży, stanowią wielkie wyzwanie również dla zakonników, zaangażowanych w dzieło misyjne. 

The role of the religious and monks in the missionary work of the Church

The missionary commitment of religious men and women representing different religious orders and mission societies are seen as the source of the missionary dynamism of the Church. In fact, the religious orders have been seen as the vanguard (avant-garde) of the missionary work. These realities cause arising of some well-founded questions like; What is the role of the missionary orders and mission societies in evangelization and what exactly these religious bodies do? No less puzzling issue is whether consecrated life, or life in the religious vows, helps or hinders missionary activities? Does the monastic life make any sense in the missionary territories? The following text looks for answers for the above questions. At the same time, the author wishes to encourage the readers to go into reflection on the role of the religious and monks in the Church’s contemporary mission work as there are no doubt that the new missionary paradigms, indicated by the recent popes, are a great challenge for the religious and monks who are involved in the missionary work.

The missionary commitment of religious men and women representing different religious orders and mission societies are seen as the source of the missionary dynamism of the Church. In fact, the religious orders have been seen as the vanguard (avant-garde) of the missionary work. These realities cause arising of some well-founded questions like; What is the role of the missionary orders and mission societies in evangelization and what exactly these religious bodies do? No less puzzling issue is whether consecrated life, or life in the religious vows, helps or hinders missionary activities? Does the monastic life make any sense in the missionary territories? The following text looks for answers for the above questions. At the same time, the author wishes to encourage the readers to go into reflection on the role of the religious and monks in the Church’s contemporary mission work as there are no doubt that the new missionary paradigms, indicated by the recent popes, are a great challenge for the religious and monks who are involved in the missionary work.