October 15, 2010
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We will celebrate World Mission Sunday on October 24th. This is the one Sunday of the year when Catholics worldwide pray and sacrifice for Missionaries in over 1,150 mission territories who depend on this support in order to share the message of the Gospel.
In his message for World Mission Sunday, Pope Benedict observes: “Like the Greek pilgrims of two thousand years ago, the people of our time too, ask believers not only to ‘speak’ of Jesus, but to ‘make Jesus seen’.
Missionaries worldwide make Jesus seen in striking ways. Here are some examples:
- The Little Sisters of Jesus delivered food to local families in Haiti after the earthquake.
- Sister Julie of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Karachi, Pakistan helps educate the little children on the roads of Pakistan so that they can earn their living instead of begging.
- A native Priest of Bluefields, Nicaragua said: “I was inspired by the missionaries I met when I was growing up. Now I am a missionary in my own country.”
Please be generous to the special collection for World Mission Sunday on October 24th. May our prayers and support enable Missionaries “not only to speak of Jesus, but to make Jesus seen.” May God reward you for having a missionary heart!
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Robert J. Carlson, Archbishop of St. Louis