The Diocese of Columbus Missions Office annually assigns visiting missionaries to speak at local parishes.
The annual Missionary Cooperation Plan (MCP) centralizes the efforts of missionary organizations worldwide that wish to appeal to Catholics in the United States and tell parishioners about their mission experiences as they appeal for prayers and financial support.
The plan allows parishioners to learn about the missions at home and abroad and to assist mission organizations financially as they spread the Gospel.
The MCP allows missionaries to speak at an assigned parish or parishes one weekend between May and September. Each year, a national MCP Committee selects 38 applicants and invites them to participate.
The Missions Office also collects and disburses funds from the MCP appeal. The office distributes the funds via check to each organization’s U.S. contact.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many mission organizations have helped orphans and the poor by delivering prevention information, sanitation supplies, masks, health kits, food, water and more.
Jesus commissioned the Apostles to proclaim the Good News to the ends of the earth. He was a missionary sent by God to redeem us from sin and eternal death. As Jesus was sending forth His disciples, he empowered them with the Holy Spirit, saying, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” (John 20:21)
Missionaries often leave family, friends and familiar surroundings and are sent to unfamiliar cultures. Missionaries come from all parts of the world, but most are from Africa and Asia. On this planet of about 6 billion people, Christians make up almost 2 billion. There are 1.3 billion Muslims, 850,000 Hindus and 418,000 Buddhists.
In A.D. 52, St. Thomas the Apostle was founding Catholic churches in southern India. India is rich with natural resources, yet more than half of the population suffers with deprivation, poverty, marginalization and exploitation. Nevertheless, the Church is committed to the spread of the Gospel in the face of many tribulations and with hope in Jesus Christ.
The Bible teaches us that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. He is the true Savior who redeemed all humanity from eternal punishment and freely gave eternal salvation to all mankind. However, to receive this blissful eternity after our death, we must believe and accept Jesus Christ as our God and redeemer.
God loves us all unconditionally. We can compare the extent of His love to the vastness of the sky or the depth of the ocean. Above all, Jesus embraced crucifixion and death so that humanity could have immortal life when we leave our mortal body on earth. Jesus won a glorious life for all of us in heaven through His resurrection.
The life of Jesus, as true God and true man, was spent close to the poor, the forgotten and lonely. He offered compassion to the sick, the lame, the deaf and the mute; forgave human failings; and redeemed the world.
We have a blissful life waiting when we say goodbye to this present life. We must be aware that, before we came to earth, God had already visited earth as a human being and showed great human dignity toward sinners, the lonely, sick, vulnerable and needy and taught them God’s ways.
Jesus lived a simple life on earth and experienced every hardship for the sake of God’s kingdom. Jesus was open to our cultures and traditions and lived among us except for sin.
We know our mission work is impossible without the people of God and their support and prayers. This is also an opportunity for missionaries to pray for you who provide financial support.
On behalf of our diocese, I welcome the missionaries who are ready to share their stories and mission activities with our parishes.
Mary, Queen of the Missions, pray for us!