October 22, 2023

Today is Mission Sunday, where we pray for the success of the worldwide missionary endeavors of the Church. When we think of mission lands, we usually think of third world countries.  The sad fact of the matter is, some of the countries that once were loyal and true to the Christian Faith are now among the most secular in the world.  It shocked me to read that the Czech Republic, once 90% Christian is now the most secular country in the world, with only 30% of its citizens professing belief in God. Certainly we can say that Communism had done its work well there. 

The Church in her document on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, states that the Church is by her vary nature missionary.  This Church is you and me, all of us.  As a parish of Assumption, we support a school and parishes in Haiti and accomplish great things there in the Gospel's name.  It can't stop there, however. All of us must do our part to spread the Gospel by the way we live and the good example we give to others.  Each of us make it our responsibility to make Christ known and loved in the world.  Let's make the resolution to extend ourselves whenever possibly to make Christ's kingdom visible. 

Please be generous in your support of the missionaries throughout the world. Your support is one of the ways you can perform missionary work from a distance.  Most important, pray for the missions. This past week, I taught the children about the mission rosary, where each decade is a different color that denotes a part of the world. It would be a good idea for all of us to make this a part of our daily prayer, especially during October, the month of the rosary. May God bless you for all you do to support the missions, whether it be the Hands and Hearts of Haiti, or the missions throughout the world.