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A Message from Bishop Doran
October 2009
Dear
Friends in Christ:
Do you know the date
of your Baptism?
On that day, you became a
missionary, called by our Lord to share your faith with those around you
– and be a part of the Church’s mission to the world.
Jesus directed His followers to go into the world and proclaim His
Gospel of His love for us – to all peoples (see Mark 16:15). That
mission is now directed to each one of us.
In his
annual Message for World Mission Sunday His Holiness, Benedict XVI,
states:
The nations will walk in its
light (Rev 21:24). The goal of the Church’s mission is to illumine
all peoples with the light of the Gospel as they journey through history
towards God, so that in Him they may reach their full potential and
fulfillment. We should have a longing and a passion to illumine all
people with the light of Christ that shines on the face of the Church,
so that all may be gathered into the one human family under God’s loving
fatherhood.
Through this Combined
Collection for the Missions we have the opportunity to be a part of the
Church’s missionary work in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Pacific
Islands and here in the United States. Please be generous with your
prays and donations to those working in the missions
With every good wish for you, I
remain...
Cordially yours in Christ,
The Most Reverend Thomas
G. Doran, D.D., J.C.D.
Bishop of Rockford
World Mission Sunday
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As Catholics around the world gather at the Eucharistic
table, we pray for the Church’s missionary efforts. We pray for those
awaiting the Good News of God’s love for them. Through our financial
help, more than 1,150 dioceses are being assisted in many ways. To find
out more visit the Pontifical Mission Societies’ website:
http://www.worldmissions-catholicchurch.org. Last year, the
faithful of this Diocese contributed $272,984.
Missions in the United States
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Fr. Scott Garrett, from the
Archdiocese of Anchorage, prepares Mass in the kitchen of a local
parishioner. Administering the Sacraments in mission territories often
requires adapting to unique locations and situations. The Archdiocese of
Anchorage has 11,500 Catholic families, 140,000 square miles and only 30
active priests. Sadly such shortages are often in the U.S. mission
dioceses. Visit their website:
www.usccb.org/hm. The Black and Indian Collection, established in
1884, is the embodiment of the Church’s concern for evangelizing the
Black and Indian peoples of the US and the Eskimo and Aleut peoples of
Alaska. Last year, the faithful of this Diocese contributed $60,293
which was equally divided between these two collections.
The
Church in Latin America
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This Appeal supports the Rockford Diocese’s connection with
the Diocese of Chulucanas in Peru. Our sister diocese uses our $10,000
gift in order to train leaders in the promotion of the Diocesan Pastoral
Plan. Currently Father Schuessler, a priest of this Diocese, is serving
there, and receives supplemental assistance from this appeal to meet his
basic needs. Visit their website:
http://diocesisdechulucanas.org/index.html. $5,000 from the
collection also is sent to the US Bishops’ Office for Latin America
which provides grants to dioceses, parishes, religious congregations,
seminaries in Latin America and the Caribbean to assist in the formation
of priests, religious, lay ministers, missionaries, pastoral workers,
catechists, and youth ministers. Visit their website: www.usccb.org/latinamerica.
Membership in the Society for the Propagation of the Faith
(SPF)
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Would you consider making an extra special commitment to the
missionary work of the Church as a member of the Propagation of the
Faith? Here is what you can do…
• Pray
daily for the Church’s missionary work by saying one Our Father, Hail Mary and
Glory Be.
St. Francis Xavier, pray for us. St.
Thérèse of Lisieux, pray for us.
• Offer your personal cross in union with the suffering
of Christ for the redemption of unknown men
and women.
• Donate to this appeal and whenever you can during the
year, and
By designating this appeal on the
Mission Appeal envelope, your name and address will be sent to the National SPF
Office. Last year 1,074 people signed up and contributed $17,074.
Donate Now!
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