Bishops encourage Catholics to support World Mission Sunday

“The gift of faith which we have received is a gift which must be offered to others,” is a key message of the bishops’ pastoral letter for this World Mission Sunday, 24 October 2010.

The bishops ask Catholics to support MISSIONZ – the New Zealand arm of the Pontifical Mission Societies – through prayer and financial contributions this Sunday, as it joins parishes throughout the world in collecting for the missions.

Contributions will help the Church to provide pastoral and health care, education, training for seminarians, spiritual formation and evangelisation in developing countries.

“There are still millions of people in God’s world who have not had the opportunity to hear the Good News, or to have access to the faith,” the bishops say. “As disciples of Jesus in the present day it is within our power and capacity to pass on the gift we have received”.

The bishops suggest that we are all able to pray for the Good News of Jesus to be heard and embraced by those who seek, and for messengers who are willing to work among those who have not yet encountered Christ.

For those able to respond financially, this can be done through planned giving envelopes, the special MISSIONZ envelope or by contributing to a retiring collection at the end of Mass. Mission Sunday envelopes can also be put in the collection plate this week or sometime in the next few weeks, or contributions can be sent directly to MISSIONZ.

Full pastoral letter