Mission Sunday
Today we celebrate Mission Sunday. It is a reminder that we are all missionaries. Just as the earliest disciples were called to follow Jesus and spread the Good News, so we, through baptism, are called to do the same.
We may not be called to far off countries, but we can ‘grow where we are planted’ and spread the Good News from there. In fact, St Therese of Lisieux, the patroness of the missions, never left her convent.
Mission Sunday was begun by Pope Pius IX in 1926 as a day for prayer for missions. It is also an opportunity to realize that we are part of a worldwide church, rather than a particular parish, diocese, or even country.
It is an opportunity to express solidarity with so many who are living in situations of poverty, violence and oppression. Every parish, school and community is invited to join this special event, and every cent, dollar and prayer you give to Missio helps missionaries everywhere continue their work.
Missio is the public-facing name of the Pontifical Mission Societies, the Catholic Church’s official charity for overseas mission. Missio Aotearoa represents the Pontifical Mission Societies in New Zealand. Its aim is to promote awareness of the mission of the Catholic Church – to present the good news of Jesus Christ to all peoples, and to offer spiritual, material and financial support for those working in mission and Third World territories.
For more information, go to Missio Aotearoa: https://missio.nz/
Donations can be made here: https://Missio.nz/Donate/
The National Liturgy Office has more resources here: https://nlo.org.nz/news-and-events/media-releases/world-mission-sunday-23-october-2022/
Learn more about the appeal at: https://www.catholic.org.nz/news/media-releases/wms2022
Fr Ron
