Faith

Maureen Crowley
Heil

The Pontifical Mission Societies are the Holy Father's principal support system for the spread of the Gospel to the ends of the earth. One of these Societies -- The Society for the Propagation of the Faith -- is entrusted by Pope Francis with the task of bringing the life, hope, and love of Jesus Christ to those who live in the most remote parts of the world.

Each year the Holy Father designates the second to last Sunday of October as World Mission Sunday, a day for the Church worldwide to celebrate the work of the Propagation of the Faith in every parish -- from the tiniest mission outstation to the grandest cathedral! First observed in 1926, this year we celebrate this great event on October 23rd. Our Archdiocesan Mass will be held at St. Michael Parish in Lowell at 11:00 a.m. Please join us!

The Propagation of the Faith's missionary priority is to build up a local Church in 1,100 mission territories spread across Latin and South America, the Pacific islands, Africa, and Asia. This daunting task cannot be accomplished without the cooperation of every baptized Catholic, each called to be a missionary. The Church's works of evangelization, charity, and promotion of justice and peace cannot be done without priests, religious, and lay catechists centered around local places of service and worship.

Pope Francis has said, "On World Mission Sunday, all of us are invited to 'go out' as missionary disciples, each generously offering their talents, creativity, wisdom, and experience in order to bring the message of God's tenderness and compassion to the entire human family."

Please help missionaries "go out" to the neediest and most marginalized of the world with your prayers and sacrifices.

Pray daily for missionaries worldwide and the people they serve. They also need your material support. Your generosity can make a difference in their lives:
$27 -- purchases faith formation materials for children and adults
$56 -- provides hosts and altar wine for rural parishes
$78 -- buys fuel for a priest to travel long distances between villages
$164 -- supports construction of a village chapel
$228 -- helps to train pastoral workers and catechists
$565 -- supplies medicine to a mission health clinic
A great day is coming -- World Mission Sunday! Make it the day that you commit to regular support for The Society for the Propagation of the Faith. We are prayerfully grateful for your help on World Mission Sunday and every day!

- Maureen Crowley Heil is Director of Programs and Development for the Pontifical Mission Societies, Boston.

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