Pastors Notes from October 22, 2023
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October 23, 2023World Mission Sunday, the second to last Sunday in October, is a day for all Catholics throughout the world to reflect on their own baptismal call and recommit themselves to the missionary work activity through prayer and sacrifice, inspired by the gift of faith passed on to each of us. Pope Francis in a homily at the beginning of the year touched upon this recommitment on World Mission Sunday: “desire to express closeness in Christ to all the men and women missionaries in the world, especially to those enduring any kind of hardship. Dear friends, the Risen Lord is always with you. He sees your generosity and the sacrifices you are making for the mission of evangelization in distant lands. Not every day of our lives is serene and unclouded, but let us never forget the words of the Lord Jesus to his friends before his Passion: “In the world you will have tribulations, but be courageous: I have conquered the world! (JN 16:33)” Yes, there are the ‘orders’ of missionaries within the United States such as the Glenmary Home Missioners, whose ministry and outreach is within the Appalachian area of the United States. And too, Catholic Extension who support remote Catholic parishes and communities throughout the United States with financial aid, educational materials and infrastructure. Likewise, Dismas Ministry seeks to inspire the faith of prisoners within the United States by providing Catholic bibles, prayer resources and other supplies to those Catholics who minister to the imprisoned. Within Iowa, located just outside of Dubuque in the small rural town of Epworth, the Society of the Divine Word order has their preparatory seminary for the formation of those who will serve as missionaries throughout the world. Founded in the late 1800’s the Society of the Divine Word forms men to be ordained, go out and serve the needs of their fellow human beings, respecting their differences at the will of God. (I’ve had the blessing of befriending Fr. Lloyd Fiedler while serving the parish of St. Mary’s in Remsen. Fr. Lloyd, a Divine Word Missionary, serving most of his priesthood in the Philippines, came back to his hometown for extended vacation during my time in the community. He loved his mother and siblings, and his time with them, but one could tell he fully embraced God’s call as a missionary to a country thousands of miles away.)
Of course, the more pronounced missionary orders of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), Vincentian Brotherhood, Maryknoll Fathers & Brothers Foreign Mission Society, and the Redemptorists to name a few. Within our Catholic consciousness, the most recognizable missionary order is that of Mother Teresa’s: the Sisters of Charity. Their mission statement encapsulates the efforts of various orders of missionaries: “Our community is dedicated to the service of the poorest of the poor, irrespective of social class, creed or color. We deliberately choose to show God’s concern for the poorest and the lowliest, remaining right on the ground, while offering immediate and effective service to those in need. . .”
They find inspiration and God’s call as missionaries, and supporting missionary work, here in the United States and abroad, through the grace of the Eucharist echoed in the words from Ephesians (3:20): “Now to Him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine, by the power at work with us.”
In the last few decades, inspired by God’s grace and the renewed hope of our youth, several outreach or missionary organizations have formed, with peer outreach to young adults. One of which is FOCUS (The Fellowship of Catholic University Students), a Catholic collegiate outreach whose mission is to share the hope of the gospel with college students throughout the United States by encountering and inviting them into a personal relationship with Jesus, sharing in the Eucharist, and centering their ambitions and relationships on Christian values. Presently there are four FOCUS youth missionaries serving the Catholic population at Iowa State University. (www.focus.org)Damascus (www.damascus.net), formed for youth is an organization dedicated to to awaken and empowering Catholic faith through summer and full-time missionary programs. Outreach to the struggling, training young adults to serve on youth ministry retreats, high adventure activities, and experience communal Catholic living provide a lifelong backbone of faith for years to come. Christ in the City (https://christinthecity.org) opens up opportunities for young adults to partake in a culture of encounter, where each person is seen, known, and loved. Based out of Denver their ‘missionaries’ are trained and reside in the community in which they serve, forming daily habits of Catholic prayer, participation in the sacraments, and outreach/evangelization to the homeless population. Thank you to Fr. Hayes, his inspirational talks about the Real Presence in the Eucharist, the healing forgiveness within the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and his kindness extended to our community. His Mission was talks were supported by the parishioners who volunteered their efforts to be invitational to all who desired to be renewed in their faith.
I leave you with the words of one of my favorite missionaries, St. Katherine Drexel, who formed an order of religious sisters reaching out to the Native Americans. “If we wish to serve God and love our neighbor well, we must manifest our joy in the service we render to Him and them. Let us open wide our hearts. It is joy which invites us. Press forward and fear nothing.”
God Bless, Fr. Tim
FYI: “My favorite color is October.” (Unknown)
