20 October 2011

Mission Sunday 2011

Galway City, as seen from Carn Ard

During October, we pray in a special way for the missions and this week, we have Mission Sunday (23rd October 2011). We pray for missionaries bringing the faith to so many parts of the world, proclaiming the good news of salvation. As has already been mentioned, the special collection for the missions will take place at all the Sunday Masses here at Sacred Heart Church this weekend.

We must also recognise that our own country is, in some sense, mission territory now too. Pope John Paul II brought the term ‘the New Evangelisation’ to prominence, and now, Pope Benedict XVI is placing great emphasis on it. It is a challenge to reach out afresh in faith to people living in traditionally Christian areas.

Here are some of the Pope’s thoughts from his message for this year’s Mission Sunday:


‘…an increasing number of people, although they have received the Gospel proclamation, have forgotten or abandoned it and no longer recognize that they belong to the Church; and in many contemporary contexts, even in traditionally Christian societies, people are averse to opening themselves to the word of faith. A cultural change nourished by globalization, by currents of thought and by the prevalent relativism, is taking place. This change is leading to a mindset and lifestyle that ignore the Gospel Message, as though God did not exist, and exalt the quest for well-being, easy earnings, a career and success as life’s purpose, even to the detriment of moral values.
The universal mission involves all, all things and always. The Gospel is not an exclusive possession of whoever has received it but a gift to share, good news to communicate. And this gift-commitment is not only entrusted to a few but on the contrary to all the baptized, who are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people” (1 Pt 2:9), so that they may declare his wonderful deeds.’
Pope Benedict XVI, Message for World Mission Sunday 2011


To read the full message from Pope Benedict, click here.