On Nov. 17, His Holiness Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Joseph Marino, a native of Birmingham and President of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome, as a member of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

The Congregation assists the Holy Father in directing and coordinating the spreading of the Gospel throughout the world, particularly in mission countries. At present, there are almost 1,100 dioceses under the jurisdiction of the Congregation, primarily in Asia and Africa. The Second Vatican Council brought into sharp focus the fundamental missionary nature of the Church, and the popes after the Council have strengthened this essential aspect of the life of the Church.

Upon receiving the appointment, Archbishop Marino stated, "I consider this appointment as a great privilege to be able to collaborate closely with the Holy Father in his care for the Churches spread throughout the world." He recalled, as well, that he has served in many mission countries, such as Nigeria, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Timor-Leste and Brunei. In that regard, he mentioned that he remains thankful to so many people of the Church in Birmingham for their generosity in many projects and initiatives in planting the Gospel in those countries where he served.

Congratulating the archbishop, Bishop Steven Raica said, "Pope Francis has honored the Diocese of Birmingham by naming Archbishop Joseph Marino to the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. It demonstrates concretely the confidence he has in Archbishop Marino and the extraordinary gifts he brings because of his vast experience to the fundamental mission of the Church – to make the salvific message of Christ known far and wide. Our hearty congratulations and prayers accompany Archbishop Marino and Pope Francis so that the great mission to evangelize with the Good News of Jesus Christ may be fruitful.”

Pope Francis has made the missionary characteristic of the faith a central part of his teaching, developed especially in his Apostolic Exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel in 2013, where he writes, "Let us go forth, then, let us go forth to offer everyone the life of Jesus Christ. Here I repeat for the entire Church what I have often said to the priests and laity of Buenos Aires: I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security. I do not want a Church concerned with being at the center and which then ends by being caught up in a web of obsessions and procedures. If something should rightly disturb us and trouble our consciences, it is the fact that so many of our brothers and sisters are living without the strength, light and consolation born of friendship with Jesus Christ, without a community of faith to support them, without meaning and a goal in life. More than by fear of going astray, my hope is that we will be moved by the fear of remaining shut up within structures which give us a false sense of security, within rules which make us harsh judges, within habits which make us feel safe, while at our door people are starving and Jesus does not tire of saying to us: 'Give them something to eat' (Mk 6:37)."

While all departments of the Diocese of Birmingham are inspired by a missionary impulse, the Office of the Propagation of the Faith works closely with the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples especially in coordinating the annual collection for the missions.