This Sunday the Church will celebrate World Mission Sunday, a day dedicated to missionaries. Collections from churches worldwide will go to help the development of the 1,117 mission territories supported by the Pope through the Pontifical Mission Societies.
This year's slogan, announced by Pope Francis earlier this year, is “You will be my witnesses.” It refers to the chain of witnesses that began with the apostles and extends today with missionaries.
FR. ANTONIO GUTIÉRREZ
Salesian missionary in Sierra Leone
If Jesus told us “be my witnesses,” what did he mean? We have to be apostles and we have to preach with the Word, with example, with everything we can. With our lives.
Catholic missionaries are spread out among six continents. They are most present in the Americas followed by Europe and Africa. Among all of those sent on mission, more than half are consecrated.
SR. ROSA LILI
Claretian missionary in Sierra Leone
There are different ways of being a witness, especially among professed religious. Firstly, it is us being aware that we are consecrated. From that depth, it is about giving ourselves to God so we can give ourselves to our brothers and sisters.
One of the 139 countries where missionaries are present is Sierra Leone, where Xaverian missionaries first arrived 70 years ago. At that time, they were called to be witnesses in a country ravaged by war, Ebola, and poverty.
FR. LUIS PÉREZ
Xaverian missionary in Sierra Leone
In those instances, I think that being a witness is about being with the people, transmitting hope above all, and trying to enliven communities and people to live fraternally and with forgiveness.
Since being a missionary is sharing the Gospel, anyone can be one in their family or their place of work. But the Pontifical Missionary Societies makes it clear that leaving everything behind to serve in another country has a special value.
ABP. GIAMPIETRO DAL TOSO
President, Pontifical Missionary Societies
At the same time it is necessary. We need to see this message incarnated in people who leave everything behind for the Gospel. The classic form of being a missionary, that is, leaving their home to announce the Gospel, it tells us through actions, incarnated in a person, of the importance of leaving in mission.
This year, the Pontifical Missionary Societies marks several anniversaries: 100 years since their declaration as a pontifical institution, and 200 years since their founding by a young French woman, Pauline Jaricot, who was beatified last May in Lyon.
CA / RM
TR: JM
