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MissionTodayAutumn 2020

World Mission Sunday

Mission Today Autumn 2020

Editorial Board: Fr Anthony ChantryMichelle SlaterNicky PisaStephen Davies

Mission Today is the magazine for supporters of Missio and the Mill HillMissionaries through the Red Box. All material in this publication can be reproduced electronically and inprint, for the purpose of mission. Please cite Missio – England and Walesas the source.Registered Charity Number 1056651.

Explore... donate... reflect at missio.org.uk

'Here I am, send me!' is the theme of thisyear's month of mission. These wordschallenge me again to think about whatmission means in 2020. I like to think I amopen to God's call, but I also want to ask God,'What are you actually sending me to do?'

In his message for World Mission Sunday,Pope Francis reminds us that God alwaysloves us first and comes to us and calls uswith this same love. God sends us to witnessto the saving power of Jesus Christ. Thisallows God to show through us his love forothers, a love that transforms hearts andminds in every place and time.

World Mission Sunday, which will becelebrated on 18 October, is anopportunity to reaffirm how prayer,reflection and donations are ways ofresponding to God's call to witness to his love, which is our mission.

In these very difficult times and with somuch uncertainty about our own futurehere in England and Wales, we must not lose sight of the needs of the Church inareas of poverty and persecution. All donations will go towards helping ourbrothers and sisters in greatest need.

I hope this edition of Mission Today will helpyou to celebrate both God's gift of faith andour mission of sharing it with those nearand far.

Thank you so much for your generoussupport of Missio, a worldwide network atthe service of the Holy Father to sustainmission and young churches through prayer and charity.

Yours sincerely in Christ,

2

Fr Anthony Chantry, Missio National Director

Dear friends,

The National Director writes

Cover: Brazilian missionary, Sr Nilcéia,responding to God’scall in a remote community in Malawi

See missio.org.uk/pray for the Pope'smonthly prayer intentions

World Mission Sunday:18 October 2020Every Catholic community, in every country, sends a powerfulmessage of faith, hope and love on World Mission Sunday

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WHAT IS WORLD MISSION SUNDAY?

ne of only three Papal collections, it is the one Sunday in the year when

the entire global Church comes together tosupport mission. Every single donation fromthese worldwide Masses goes to supportchurches, hospitals, schools and vocationsin countries where the Church is new, young or poor.

World Mission Sunday is our chance to show love and solidarity to our globalChurch family. Through our prayers, wesupport missionaries everywhere inspreading the Good News. And by donatingwe respond to Christ’s call to tell everyonethe Good News that God loves them.

All parishes throughout the worldcelebrate World Mission Sunday because it is vital to the growth of the Church andthe spread of the Gospel in predominantlyimpoverished and remote areas overseas.

The funds raised build much-neededinfrastructure, from chapels and schools, to orphanages, clinics and dispensaries.Requested by the local community, thesupport from Missio transforms lives andcreates a hub from which the young Churchcan flourish and grow: spreading the GoodNews of the Gospel, ministering to thefaithful, and delivering essential servicesin health and education.

Today. Tomorrow. Together.We are proud to be the Pope’s charity forworld mission. Missio works with the Missiofamily around the world to bring the Churchtogether in compassion and communion.Together, we coordinate World MissionSunday and provide mission dioceses withthe essential support they need to becomeself-sufficient: local church directly helpinglocal church!

O

Thank you for helping us supportchurches, hospitals, schools andvocations around the world. On pages 8-9 you will read about the differenceyour support made in 2019, and onpages 12-13 you will read about thedifference you can make in 2020.

Daily reflections


As we begin this month of October we pray together, sharing inGod's love and are motivated to make the world a better place.Prayer is the heart of mission. We have included the referencesto the original texts that have inspired these reflections. We hope you are encouraged to pray for, and take part in, the mission of Jesus to share God’s love throughout the world.

I am sending you out like lambs amongwolves but be sure of this: the kingdom of God is very near.Luke 10:3, 11Without love, even the most brilliant of deeds count as nothing. St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, patroness of mission

Guide our children, that they may becomelike Jesus, may imitate him faithfully, andpersevere until they attain eternal life.

Prayer to the Holy Guardian Angels

OCTOBER – WEEK 1

Thursday 1 October Friday 2 October

Young girls can go to schoolin Myanmar, thanks to you

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With Mary, the Mother of God, we say:My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lordand my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.

The Magnificat

Saturday 3 October

The Lord is near. There is no need to worry;but if there is anything you need, pray forit, asking God for it with prayer andthanksgiving, and that peace of God, whichis so much greater than we can understand,will guard your hearts and your thoughts,in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:5-7

You can find the Holy Father’s monthlyprayer intentions on our website:missio.org.uk/pray

You can also follow us on social media:

Sunday 4 October

A young man in Cameroon, training to become a priest

A priest praying with his community, Papua New Guinea

Here I am, Lord,

send me

to share your love with all people.

May I be empowered and carried by you

to be courageous and enthusiastic

in bearing faithful witness

to the merciful Father,

to the love of his Son, Jesus Christ,

and to the divine life in the Holy Spirit,

one God forever and ever.

Amen

My Mission Prayer

MissioUK Missio_UK@MissioUK

Daily reflections


As we continue to journey in this month of mission we pray together, sharing in God's love and are motivated to make theworld a better place. Prayer is the heart of mission. We have included the references to the original texts that have inspiredthese reflections. We hope you are encouraged to pray for, and take part in, the mission of Jesus to share God’s lovethroughout the world.

Our message to the worldis clear: Love the Lord yourGod with all your heart andyour neighbour as yourself.Do this and you shall live.

Luke 10:27-28

Creation... has to do withGod's loving plan in whichevery creature has its ownvalue and significance.

Pope Francis, Laudato Si’, 76

I thank you for the wonderof my being, for the wondersof all your creation.

Psalm 138 (139)

When we ask Mary, Motherof God, to pray for us, sheembraces her children withthe comfort and love of a mother.

Reflection from MissionTogether, Missio’schildren’s branch

OCTOBER – WEEK 2

Monday 5 October Tuesday 6 October Wednesday 7 October

Seminarians in Rwanda make every effort to be self-sufficient

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Together we seek the Lord knowing thateveryone who searches finds and thateveryone who knocks will have the dooropened. Luke 11:10

Thursday 8 October

Anyone who is not with me is against me;and anyone who does not gather in with me throws away.

Luke 11:23

God has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another. I have my mission.

St John Henry Newman

Friday 9 October

Children learning about our global Church,Myanmar

With Mary, the Mother of God, we say: The Almighty has done great things for me,and holy is his name.

The Magnificat

Saturday 10 October

We can do all things in the One whostrengthens us. The Lord is the One inwhom we hoped for salvation. The Lord hasdestroyed death and will wipe away thetears from every cheek.

Philippians 4

Sunday 11 October

MHM Formation House, Cameroon

2019 World MissionSunday update


For World Mission Sunday in 2019 we shared Sr Clara’s storyand her order’s work with children, young people and women in India. These inspiring Sisters continue to create hope and a sense of belonging for vulnerable people.

UPDATE

n the underprivileged parts of Chennai,despair and poverty cause widespread

antisocial behaviour – drug and alcoholabuse, and a high dropout rate from

education. Many people are unable to findwork. Violence against women and children,child trafficking, child abuse and childlabour are rife.

I‘We always give them the confidence that Jesus loves them’ Sr Clara

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Bringing hope where there is despairA group of Salesian Sisters are making ittheir mission to bring help and hope tothose suffering. With education, support and protection, the Sisters seek to ‘liberate people from poverty born out ofgenerations of discrimination and lack of opportunities'.

Through education and youth programmes, women’s training and financialempowerment, clinics, drug preventionschemes, family counselling and more, theSisters are both channelling and becomingthe life-blood of struggling communities. Sr Nirmala shares:

‘Motivated by the vision of Pope Francis – that my life on this earth itself is a mission – we joyously share the life of our poor marginalised children, youth and women, and constantly strive to be part of their lives’.

ThamayanthiOrphaned from a young age, Thamayanthiwas 13 when she was injured by a bombblast during the civil war in Sri Lanka in2009. Her right knee was badly infected by a piece of bombshell lodged there: aninfection which festered for ten years.Thamayanthi was in constant pain andunable to walk.

The Sisters brought Thamayanthi to one of their orphanages in India to care for her.She has had two operations and treatmentto heal the infection. She can walk again – with crutches but without pain.

Donations from Missio England and Wales are enabling the Sisters to providethe care and spiritual support vulnerablechildren need.

Thanks to youThamayanthi is not out of the woods yet;she has tuberculosis and needs furthersurgery. But with your prayers anddonations and the love and care of theSisters, she and others like her will continue to heal and recover.

Sr Nirmala sends this message to you:

‘Thank you Missio England and Wales foryour love for the vulnerable children.Through your ongoing financial assistancewe help and heal the children in need. God bless’.

Daily reflections


This week we celebrate World Mission Sunday and continue to pray together, sharing in God's love. Prayer is the heart of mission. We have included the references to the original texts that have inspired these reflections. We hope you are encouraged to pray for, and take part in, the mission of Jesus to share God’s love throughout the world.

When Christ freed us, hemeant us to remain free.Stand firm, therefore, anddo not submit again to theyoke of slavery to thatwhich is contrary to theGospel.

Galatians 5:1

We are called to be holy byliving our lives with loveand by bearing witness ineverything we do,wherever we findourselves.

Pope Francis, Gaudete etExsultate, 14

For our mission, the Spiritempowers us with love, joy,peace, patience, kindness,goodness, trustfulness,gentleness and self-control.

Galatians 5:25

OCTOBER – WEEK 3


Sr Sonia and Sr Emily at Mass, Malawi

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Yours are the eyes through which Christlooks with compassion upon the world.Yours are the hands with which Christblesses the world. St Teresa of Ávila

Thursday 15 October

Go courageously to God, along the way hehas traced out for you, steadfastlyembracing the means he offers you.

St Margaret Mary Alacoque

Friday 16 October

Sr Shanti inspires young children to learn,Malawi

Christianity is not a matter of persuadingpeople of particular ideas, but of invitingthem to share in the greatness of Christ.

St Ignatius of Antioch

Saturday 17 October

WORLD MISSION SUNDAY

‘Here I am, send me!’ Isaiah 6:8

God always loves us first, and with that lovecomes to us and calls us. Our personalvocation comes from the fact that we aresons and daughters of God in the Church,his family, brothers and sisters in the lovethat Jesus has shown us. He asks us to bepersonally willing to be sent, because hehimself is love, love that is always 'onmission', always reaching out in order to give life.

Holy Father’s Message for World Mission Sunday 2020

Sunday 18 October

Please look out for more reflections onour social media:


‘Here I am, send me!’Isaiah 6:8


We are all called to share God’s love

WORLD MISSON SUNDAY 2020

ister Nilcéia has responded to God’s call by devoting her life to vulnerable

people. More specifically, the practical careand spiritual nourishment of children inMalawi, one of the poorest countries in theworld. Originally from Brazil, Sr Nilcéia now runs educational and nutritionalprogrammes for children and teenagers.

Recently, as a result of growing need, Sr Nilcéia created a programme for youngmothers and their babies, with the supportof Missio donors. She shares:

‘The programme I’ve created for babies and pregnant girls is going well. Peter, ourhealthcare assistant, measures the babies'development and makes sure they aregrowing properly. The women receivemedicine, sugar and soap. The soap is towash the baby and the sugar is for themother because supplying food is difficultbecause of the pandemic… We Sisters don’t have any resource or income; we livethrough donations and at the moment,donations are very few’.

When we ask Sr Nilcéia about her faith and her dedication to the families in theremote Malawian countryside, she is eagerto explain:

‘Our small clinic, a red brick building in thedusty landscape, is an oasis of hope. Despitethe challenges, we persevere in this work

S

November 2019

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because we love God and we love hispeople. I believe in the goodness of God andwe serve as Jesus did. But sometimes, thedarkness seems very dark.

‘I remember delivering Linda’s baby, a little boy called Blessing. Linda was just 15 years old, with mental health problems,and she had been abused and raped by amuch older man. Linda’s family couldn’thelp, so she came to live with me and theother Sisters. After he was born, Blessingcontracted malaria.

‘After a month or so, Blessing went to livewith his grandmother, and we provided milk for him every week. But when he was just 10 months old, Blessing died. He was malnourished. It turned out hisgrandparents had been giving the milk to another child.

‘I cry when I think of Blessing; he didn’t haveto die. But this is a broken world. Our onlyhope is in God, who is with us through thesadness. It was our privilege to love Lindaand baby Blessing when it mattered most.

‘The need here in Malawi is great. But theLord is faithful and we continue to serve. We take courage from knowing you are withus in this mission’.

Your generosity and prayers on WorldMission Sunday mean that people like Sr Nilcéia keep loving, serving and sharingGod’s grace. She is just one example ofmany selfless missionaries who live andwork amongst some of the most vulnerablecommunities in the world.

Missio empowers the Catholic Churchglobally, showing the love of Christ toeveryone, and especially to those in need.Your donations keep health clinics andschools open, train tomorrow’s generationof Priests and Sisters, and create a vibrantCatholic Church for the future.

Please read more about Sr Nilcéia’swork on page 16

Mothers and babies waiting to be seen at the Lisanjala Health Clinic, Malawi

Sr Nilcéia continues to care for children as bestshe can despite the pandemic

The Holy Father’s message


This is an abridged version of the Holy Father’s message for World Mission Sunday 2020. The full text, with references, is available at missio.org.uk/wms

WORLD MISSION SUNDAY 2020

‘Here I am, send me!’n this year marked by the COVID-19pandemic, the missionary journey of the Church continues to be illuminated by the response of the prophet Isaiah: ‘Here I am, send me’ (6:8).

This invitation challenges both the Churchand humanity as a whole. Like the disciplesin the Gospel we were caught off guard byan unexpected, turbulent storm. We haverealised that we are on the same boat, all ofus called to row together, that only togethercan we do this.

Through pain and death, we experience ourhuman frailty, but at the same time thesethings remind us of our deep desire for lifeand liberation from evil. The call to mission,the invitation to step out of ourselves forlove of God and neighbour, presents itself as an opportunity for sharing, service andintercessory prayer. The mission that Godentrusts to each one of us leads us awayfrom fear and introspection, to a renewedrealisation that we find our true selves when we give ourselves to others.

The Father’s MissionaryIn the sacrifice of the cross, where themission of Jesus is fully accomplished, Godshows us that his love is for each and everyone of us. Jesus is the Father’s Missionary:his life and ministry reveal his total obedienceto the Father’s will. In turn, Jesus draws usinto his mission of love, and with his ownSpirit he makes us his disciples and sends uson a mission to the world and its peoples.

I

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It is Christ who makes the Church go out ofherself. In the mission of evangelisation, youmove because the Holy Spirit pushes you,and carries you.

In the heart of GodOur personal vocation comes from the factthat we are sons and daughters of God inthe Church, his family, brothers and sistersin the love that Jesus has shown us.

All people have a human dignity founded onthe divine invitation to be children of Godand to become, in the sacrament of Baptismand in the freedom of faith, what they havealways been in the heart of God.

The Church continues the mission of Jesusand sends us everywhere so that throughour witness and the proclamation of theGospel, God may continue to manifest hislove and transform hearts, societies andcultures.

A personal relationship of loveMission is a free and conscious response toGod’s call. Yet we discern this call only whenwe have a personal relationship of lovewith Jesus, present in his Church. Are weprepared to welcome the presence of theHoly Spirit in our lives, to listen to the call tomission, in all the everyday events of life?

Far from increasing mistrust andindifference, our current situation shouldmake us even more attentive to how werelate to others. Prayer, in which Godtouches and moves our hearts, should makeus ever more open to our brothers andsisters’ need for dignity and freedom, aswell as our responsibility to care for all creation.

The impossibility of gathering as a Churchto celebrate the Eucharist has led us toshare the experience of the many Christian

communities that cannot celebrate Massevery Sunday. In all of this, God’s question:‘Whom shall I send?’ is addressed oncemore to us and awaits a generous andconvincing response: ‘Here I am, send me!’God continues to look for those whom hecan send forth into the world and to thenations to bear witness to his love.

World Mission SundayOn World Mission Sunday we affirm howprayer, reflection and material offerings areopportunities to participate actively in themission of Jesus in his Church. The charityexpressed in the collections during thepenultimate Sunday of October support themissionary work carried out in my name byMissio (the Pontifical Mission Societies), inorder to meet the needs of peoples andChurches throughout the world, for thesalvation of all.

May the Most Blessed Virgin Mary continueto intercede for us and sustain us.

+

Your prayers and your donations on World Mission Sunday support ourChurch family overseas through:

Faith and Outreach Projectswhich restore the dignity and hope of vulnerable children andfamilies in need of your care

Supporting Catholic Missionarieswho give their lives to share God’s mercy and compassion with those most in need

Building New Churches to bebeacons of hope for those seeking a place to pray and tocelebrate God’s love for us

‘Here I am, send me!’Isaiah 6:8


Continued from page 13

WORLD MISSION SUNDAY 2020

ister Nilcéia also manages the LisanjalaHealth Clinic in Malawi, which supports

18 villages in the local area. Countlesspeople, from all faiths and none, often walkup to three hours to attend the clinic withtheir illnesses and ailments, mostcommonly: malaria and malnourishment.

You may remember Sr Sonia (right), whoworked in Lisanjala before Sr Nilcéia. SrSonia established the clinic where Sr Nilcéianow works. She and her fellow Sisters are surely the hands and feet of Jesus.

‘Malawi is one of the poorest countries inthe world. It is hard to believe, but many

people who live here are unable to thinkbeyond their next meal. Sometimes thisnext meal is just leaves, grass, bark or roots,which makes them very sick,’ explains Sr Nilcéia sadly. ‘My healthcare assistant,Peter (opposite page), and I treat around 80people a day. Through our clinic, countlessvulnerable children’s lives are saved’.

Peter is a layperson and has been workingas a healthcare assistant for 13 years. Heshares: ‘I love my work. I was born in Zombaand now live in Lisanjala with my wife andfour children. I am not Catholic, but I’m very happy working with the Sisters.

Sr Sonia at Lisanjala, 2014

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‘I receive a monthly salary of around £70 from the government. It’s not enough to feed my family, so I also cultivate crops – maize and ground nuts – and whileI’m working at the clinic, my wife is workingon the farm’.

The daily struggle of living in one of theremotest areas of Malawi has not dampenedSr Nilcéia's spirit: ‘Life brings joy, it bringspeace, and it renews my faith, renews mylove, my vocation, my oblation, my serviceto the Church for my community here in Malawi.

‘I want you to know how grateful I am foryour support and prayers. Together we are one family, one faith, one Church, and together we share love through good actions.

‘The centre of all of this is love. And whenyou do good, then good remains with you…When we give ourselves for others, we willbe satisfied in what we are doing, in what we are’.

In his message for World Mission Sunday,the Pope says that we all have a mission and that mission is a free and conscious

response to God’s call to share his love withall humanity. The events of the last fewmonths have made it even clearer that weare all connected – we cannot stand alone,and it is only if we work together that wecan overcome the challenges we face.

Furthermore, in not being able to gathertogether, we have known what it is like formany remote Christian communities thatcannot celebrate Mass every Sunday. Thefragility of life has been all too apparent, but we have also seen that when we standtogether in solidarity with one another andshare our resources, hope is renewed.

God wants a life of hope and love for all hischildren. Throughout all of this, God’squestion: ‘Whom shall I send?’ is addressedonce more to us and awaits a generous andconvincing response: ‘Here I am, send me!’God continues to look for those whom hecan send forth into the world and to thenations to bear witness to his love.

How will you share God’s love thisWorld Mission Sunday?

Sr Nilcéia at Lisanjala, 2020

Peter is committed to serving his local community in Malawi

Daily reflections


We are God's work of art,created in Christ Jesus tolive the good life as fromthe beginning he hadmeant us to live it.

Ephesians 2:10

Be dressed for action andready to open the door assoon as the Lord comes andknocks.

Luke 12:36-37

You have been made aservant of the Gospel by agift of grace from God. Youhave been entrusted withthis special grace ofproclaiming the infinitetreasure of Christ.

Ephesians 3:2-12

OCTOBER – WEEK 4


As we continue to journey in this month of mission we pray together, sharing in God's love and are motivated to make theworld a better place. We have included the references to theoriginal texts that have inspired these reflections. We hope you are encouraged to pray for, and take part in, the mission of Jesus to share God’s love throughout the world.

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There can be no true missionary workwithout the explicit proclamation of Jesusas Lord. Pope St John Paul II

Thursday 22 October

There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,and one God who is Father of all, over all,through all and within all.

Ephesians 4:5-6

Friday 23 October

With Mary, the Mother of God, we say: Holy is God's name and his mercy is fromgeneration to generation on those who fear him.

The Magnificat

Saturday 24 October

It was the joy of the Holy Spirit that youtook to the Gospel, in spite of the greatopposition all round you. You are servantsof the real, living God, who sends you out to witness to the commandments of love: to love God and our neighbour.

1 Thessalonians 1 & Matthew 22

Sunday 25 October

Healing and reconciliation, Rwanda

Young men studying for the priesthood, Holy Land

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Please look out for more reflections onour social media:


Daily reflections


As October comes to a close, we share in God's love and aremotivated to make the world a better place. Prayer is the heartof mission. We have included the references to the originaltexts that have inspired these reflections. We hope you are encouraged to pray for, and take part in, the mission of Jesus to share God’s love throughout the world.

You were darkness once,but now you are light in theLord; be like children oflight.

Ephesians 5:8

Our families are truedomestic churches. Theyare the right place for faithto become life, and life togrow in faith.

Pope Francis

By the intercession ofSimon and Jude, we praythat the Church may bestrong in her mission ofattracting people to believein the saving power ofJesus Christ.

Collect of the day

OCTOBER – WEEK 5


Faith formation for children, Peru

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We are ambassadors forChrist, since God isappealing through us: onChrist's behalf we beg you,be reconciled to God.2 Corinthians 5:20

I thank God whenever Ithink of you, rememberinghow you have helped tospread the Good News fromthe day you first heard it,right up to the present.

Philippians 1:3-6

Holy Mary, Virgin andMother, help us to bearwitness to your son Jesus,that the joy of the Gospelmay reach to the ends ofearth.

Pope Francis, EvangeliiGaudium

Thursday 29 October Friday 30 October Saturday 31 October

Many families strive to live out their faith in Rwanda

Mill Hill News


A reflection from Fr Michael Corcoran MHM, General Superior of St Joseph’s Missionary Society

LIVING MISSION

Living in a crisis with hopehat we have experienced during thepandemic and what the world is going

through this year will be spoken about forgenerations to come. When people lookback on 2020, they will tell the story of how the world had to pause – travel wassuspended, people had to isolatethemselves from one another and had tolearn new ways to study, to communicate,and do business. They will speak of how new opportunities were found for people to gather virtually – not only for lessons,socialising and decision-making – but alsofor prayer and the praise of God.

I have seen the prayerful and creative use ofvarious online platforms that have broughtencouragement, through God’s word, to hisscattered people during this critical time.

With isolation and lockdown, we havemissed the visits and the ‘coming together’whether for worship, work, sporting or socialoccasions. I hope that many of us have hadmore time to reflect and tune in to God andconsider what God may be saying to us.

I am sure that many people have growncloser to God through this crisis. Our forcedseclusion and restricted personal freedomshave certainly reminded us that we are notinvincible, and we are far from being incontrol of everything.

We are quite dependent on each other in our global family and on God. Life is

precious and fragile; love and family arefundamental to our safety and well-being.Not only is our physical health important,but also our mental, emotional and spiritualhealth. They all need to be nourished if weare to truly ‘keep body and soul together’.

The words that have leapt out at me duringthis critical time have been ‘trust’, ‘hope’,‘life’, ‘love’ and ‘truth’. In our relationshipwith God and with each other, and throughprayer, we continue to welcome each newday with freshness.

Fr Jacob MHM from India on mission in Cambodiapraying with people, post lockdown

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Serving communities in crisisThe Mill Hill Missionaries are aninternational fellowship of Catholicmissionaries dedicated to announcing theGood News of Jesus Christ to peoplethroughout the world. During the COVID-19pandemic, thanks to your loving generosity,they have been able to bring help and hopeto communities where the pandemic hascompounded conflict, poverty and hardship.

Cameroon

With cases of Coronavirus confirmed in thearea around Kembong parish, many workershave lost their jobs, and many families areunable to fetch food without puttingthemselves at risk. With your help, our MillHill partners have delivered vital foodrations, as well as soap, sanitiser and facemasks to families across more than 15mission stations. Fr Richard MHM shared:

‘I bring to you hearts of gratitude for thisgreat gesture of solidarity, when the wholeworld is locked down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. May the good Lordreplenish your store’.

Philippines

Turda Parish spreads across several smallislands and each are home to around 600families. Due to the Coronavirus lockdown,people have lost livelihoods. Now, manyfamilies have even more mouths to feed asworkers, dismissed from their jobs, arereturning back to their family homes. Sadly, the coastguard has banned fishing,removing a vital source of food.

Thanks to you, parish volunteers havedelivered rice to hundreds of hungryfamilies. Fr John Paul MHM shared:

‘Missio has shown us that God does not fail and that the Church reaches out to herchildren in times of distress. The people of Turda Parish know that the world has not abandoned them’.

For more Mill Hill news, please visit millhillmissionaries.com

The Holy Father’s Emergency Fund update


In April 2020 His Holiness Pope Francis set up an EmergencyFund through Missio, to help missionaries and young and poorchurches through the COVID-19 crisis. Thanks to Missio supporters in England and Wales, we have been able to helpthose in greatest need across the world. Here are some examples:

EMERGENCY FUND

KenyaAs COVID-19 forced churches to close, many Priests lost their income. Theystruggled to maintain themselves and reachtheir parishioners, who also faced extrahardship as the economy shut down.

Thanks to your donations, Priests havereceived essential supplies and continue todo their best to bring practical and spiritualhelp to their communities.

Fr Bonaventure in Nairobi shared: ‘This is the time to be in the streets, dirtying ourhands in support of the vulnerable: an actMissio has helped us achieve. Thank you to all people who have and still support us. Be blessed always. We keep you truly in our prayers’.

Sri LankaWith help from the Emergency Fund, Missiohas supplied financial support and dry foodrations to 173 Catechists, 40 Priests and 20 Religious communities across twodioceses which are particularly struggling.They in turn have spread this help to thepeople of their parishes and communities.

Fr Philip, a parish Priest, shared:

‘Your support is a treasure for me and thecommunity: a great help not only to theCatholics but to all the poor people in the areaas they face this crisis. I have offered Massesfor you and your community. May the goodLord bless all of you abundantly for the good work you do’.

Build a vibrant CatholicChurch for the futureRemember Missio in your Will

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or generations, people like you have been sharing their blessings by helping

missionaries serve in communities that are poor or in need around the world.

In 2019, legacies left to Missio funded theconstruction of a new presbytery andcommunity hall in the Diocese of Jammu-Srinagar in northern India. BishopIvan Pereira shared: ‘Thanks to your supportthrough Missio, the Church continues toplay a leading role in education, healthcareand social services in our diocese, reachingout to the poorest in our society… Our workwith children, youth, men and women isbearing fruit and your support is making thispossible. By your prayers and assistance, youare active participants in the work of theChurch in this mission diocese.’

Now, more than ever, we depend on thesupport and care of Catholics like you topass on the gift of faith to future generations,and to share the love of God with those ingreatest need. Please consider leaving a gift in your Will to Missio.

For more information, please complete the form overleaf and tick the yellow boxon the back page.

F

Mission Today is the magazine for supporters of Missio and the Mill Hill Missionaries. Published by Missio © 2020ISSN 0967-8379Missio continues the vital work ofThe Association for the Propagationof the Faith (APF) and the other Pontifical Mission Societies. Mission Today is printed on paperfrom renewable resources – managedforests in which new trees areplanted for each one felled.

Missio23 Eccleston Square, London SW1V 1NUReg. Charity No. 1056651Tel: 020 7821 9755 (office hours)Email: [email protected]: missio.org.uk

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Mill Hill MissionariesRed Box, PO Box 163, Liverpool L37 1WWReg. Charity No. 220690Tel: 01704 875048 (office hours)Email: [email protected]: millhillmissionaries.com

You can make a donation:

Send a cheque:Make it payable to Missio andpost it to World Mission Sunday, 23 EcclestonSquare, London SW1V 1NU

Give online:Visit missio.org.uk/donate andselect ‘World Mission Sunday’

Give via text: Text MISSIO 5 (to donate £5) or MISSIO 10 (to donate £10) to 70085This costs £5 or £10 plus your standard rate message

Give via phone: Call us on 020 7821 9755during office hours to donate with your creditor debit card

Bank transfer:Account Name:MissioSort Code: 16-00-16Account Number: 10824230Reference:WMS + your postcode

This World Mission Sunday: will you helpselfless missionaries, like Sr Nilcéia, liveand work amongst some of the world’smost vulnerable communities to shareGod’s love?

Thank you!

mission today - missio.org.uk · philippians 4:5-7 you can find the holy father’s monthly prayer...

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