Generously support World Mission Sunday

October 20, 2005

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

World Mission Sunday - a special day of prayer and financial sacrifice for all the Catholic Missions of the World - is Sunday, Oct. 23 this year.

As baptized Catholics we are called to not only deepen the faith we have received but also to share that faith. One of the ways we accept that duty is to support financially the missionary efforts throughout the world, especially in support of new and young churches of the mission world.

The very nature of the church is to be missionary. Before Christ ascended to his Father, he told his disciples to continue the mission given to him by the Father, when he said, "As the Father has sent me, so I send you." He also gave his disciples the missionary mandate, "Go therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them all that I have commanded you."

On this day of the year, along with our prayers, we are called to sacrifice financially for the support of all the Catholic Missions. The Society for the Propagation of the Faith is the primary Pontifical Society, established by the church, for the support and the maintenance of the local churches and missionary efforts in many parts of the world. The funds gathered by the society are distributed each year in an equitable manner - so that many of the new and younger churches can rely on this basic subsidy each year - and extra financial assistance when needed for some local missionary project or the education of mission seminarians and novices in the developing world.

As the diocesan administrator, I ask you to support the Catholic Missions with your prayers and generous financial support on World Mission Sunday.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Msgr. Roger J. Augustine
Diocesan Administrator