As we embark on another year of evangelization in the African American, Native American and Alaska Native communities, everyone is encouraged to make a difference by offering their prayers for the fruitful support of the missions in the United States and to consider expressing concretely their Christian solidarity through sacrificial offerings.
The Black and Indian Missions collection on the weekend of March 8-9 supports evangelization efforts among the African American and Native American communities. May they live in dignity and peace by liberation from all forms of oppression. Working together, groups of priests, religious and laymen and women have the full scope to follow the call to the missions in the manifold missionary task.
In this Jubilee year, as we reflect upon our earthly life as a “Pilgrimage,” its hallmark is hoping to live in eternity. How can we be the most effective advocates of Christ to bring faith to so many people? This world will pass away and everything in it will pass away. However, eternity is waiting for us!
We live in a world in which millions of people do not believe in Christ, who is the Savior of the world. Be generous to the needy and be eager to serve them by providing financial and spiritual support in their life journey. Let us walk with others in a sense knowing their pain as our own because there is no such thing as finding Christ while avoiding our neighbor.
As we are pilgrims in this world, our daily goal should be being in the kingdom of God. “Our life and our death is with our neighbor,” said St. Anthony the Great, founder of Christian monasticism. We have to be compassionate with the poor, strangers, orphans and those who are less fortunate who need our support. As we meet them in our life journey, we can make them happier by our encounters with generosity.
The Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church teaches us that “The whole Church of Christ is missionary, and the work of evangelization is a basic duty of the people of God” (DMA, 1:35). The Church, wherever it is at work, is continuing the mission to mankind by the Christ, our teacher and healer.
Jesus spent all of his time and effort teaching men and women that God loves them unceasingly and healing them from their infirmities. Your partnership places Bibles and catechetical materials in the hands of priests, consecrated men and women, and lay leaders.
Pope Francis reminds us that everyone is meant to evangelize, and this collection so clearly authenticates his call to us to work as a family to help all of our brothers and sisters and to share hope of Jesus Christ.
As Pope Francis advocates in one of his encyclicals Evangelii Gaudium, “Any missionary impulse, if derived from the Holy Spirit, manifests predilection for the poor and vulnerable.” Your generous support assists the many and varied evangelization programs in archdioceses and dioceses of the United States from Maine to California and all parts of Alaska.
Church teaching urges that giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity. It is also a work of justice pleasing to God (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2447). Thus, we can do this by sharing our littleness with our fellow men and become living witnesses of Christ’s presence in our midst.
The support of generous hearts can fulfill dreams of many unfortunates to pursue a college education and to have a better future. Let us follow the legacy of Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, who is the greatest evangelizer in the history of the Catholic Church in the United States. He used his media presence to promote the missions among Catholics across the country and to spread the Gospel. Sheen captivated millions, leaving a lasting impact on the Church’s outreach efforts.
Your sacrifice impacts pastoral work across the country and addresses the need to train catechists, permanent deacons and seminarians for future generations in many of our neighborhoods and backyards. It is only through the constant generosity of everyone that evangelization efforts are multiplied a thousand-fold. Sheen revolutionized Catholic evangelization through his pioneering use of media.
Your generous contribution can be a successful vehicle for sharing the resources of the Church’s members to provide for the needs of our African American, Native American and Alaska Native brothers and sisters.