Greetings Fellow Evangelizers/Missioners,

On the occasion of the annual World Mission Day, Pope Francis reminds us that this day “gathers us around the person of Jesus, ‘The very first and greatest evangelizer’ who continually sends us forth to proclaim the Gospel of the love of God the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit. This Day invites us to reflect anew on the mission at the heart of the Christian faith…. The Church is missionary by nature; otherwise, she would no longer be the Church of Christ…. The preaching of the Gospel thus becomes a vital and effective word that accomplishes what it proclaims: Jesus Christ, who constantly takes flesh in every human situation.”

The joy we experience of personally knowing Jesus compels us to share that love of God in our daily lives, “in every human situation.” Some of us are called to be evangelizers/missioners beyond our borders, but not all. Yet all of us are able to pray for and give generously to the Holy Father’s Pontifical Mission Societies at your parish’s weekend Masses on October 21 and 22. Your donation will directly support the 1,150 mission dioceses in Africa and Asia who train lay catechists, seminarians and women novices eager to build their own communities of faith. Some of our fellow Catholics in these dioceses suffer various forms of oppression and attacks. Thus our solidarity with them is most appreciated.

I also encourage you to join in the special World Mission Sunday Mass and social event October 22 that begins at 1:30 at St. Susanna Church in Mason. Local Catholics of many different cultures will bring their choirs, food, and entertainers to celebrate our unity of faith in diversity as well as the mission efforts of our Church worldwide.

You may wish to consider becoming a regular mission supporter and add our Archdiocesan Mission Office to your will. If you have interest in short or long term mission work, mission trips, or parish or school twinning relationships, please contact our Mission Office Director, Dr. Mike Gable, at: [email protected] or at (513) 421-3131 x.2630.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Dennis M. Schnurr Archbishop of Cincinnati