One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic

Every week our office is flooded with requests for assistance from missionaries all over the world.  One of the most affirming experiences we enjoy is to see a missionary diocese progress from “mission receiving” to “mission sending;” that is, to be strong enough to send forth missionaries to countries other than their own.

Recently we received a letter from Father Francis, a missionary priest of the Vincentian community based in Kerala, India.  Father Francis wrote to us asking to be included in our Missionary Cooperative Program this year in order to raise financial support for an orphanage that his community has opened in Masaka, Uganda.  He described the mission and ministry of this outreach program:

It is an interior area and the people are very poor and illiterate.  One of the biggest evils that the people in this area are fighting with is poverty.  Children are the main victims of such evils.  They are denied basic human rights for their primary as well as higher education.

This house is expected to give free accommodation and food to orphans as well as poor children in and around the locality.  At present thirty-five children are admitted here.  Providing education to children will lead the families out of the vicious circle of illiteracy and poverty.  This will lead them to a bright future with a decent and dignified living.  The demand is increasing day by day to accommodate more children.  We hope to get support from generous people like you to continue this humanitarian work without any difficulty or hindrance.

Your generous support of the Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith enables “mission receiving” countries to become “mission sending.”  Time and time again we are reminded that the Church is truly “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic”—universal in the truest sense of the word—and mandated by Christ to share and spread the faith throughout the world. 

-Rev. Rodney J. Copp, JCL