PATERSON Pictured on these two pages are scenes from the annual World Mission Sunday Mass on Oct. 23 at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist here, celebrated by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney. He led the diocese in thanking and praying for missionaries, priests, laity, and consecrated persons for spreading the Gospel around the world, including to the poor.
Concelebrating the 11:30 a.m. Mass were priests from the diocese and missionary priests from religious orders serving in countries such as Kenya, the Philippines, Tanzania, Argentina, India, Cameroon, and Bangladesh. Many religious sisters from various orders also attended the Mass.
“Our prayers and generous support today sustain priests, religious and lay pastoral leaders in more than 1,100 mission dioceses in Asia, Africa, the Pacific Islands, and parts of Latin America and Europe as they proclaim the Gospel, build the Church and serve the poor,” said Mila Burdeos, diocesan mission director, who coordinates the local World Mission Sunday Mass.
The diocese, through the Mission Office, coordinates activities to encourage and inspire the faithful to offer prayer and financial sacrifice to support the ongoing missionary works of the Church.
The Missionary Childhood Association (MCA), a Pontifical Mission Society in the diocese in schools and parishes, supports the missions of the Church. At the Mass, students, leadership, and mission coordinators of local Catholic schools and religious education directors were honored for their prayers and sacrifice in support of the missions with a plaque.
The honorees were: Filippini Sister Jo-Ann Pompa, principal of St. Gerard Majella School in Paterson, with the Children Helping Children Award; Rosemary Matis, mission moderator of Divine Mercy Academy in Rockaway, with the MCA Award; and Brooke Westenberger, mission moderator of Pope John XXIII Middle School in Sparta.
Also, Natalie Ferreras, a student from St. Gerard Majella School, is one of the winners of the Nationwide MCA Artwork Contest. She and her family will be honored at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 2 with Mass, luncheon, and a plaque.
World Mission Sunday was started in 1822 by Blessed Pauline Jaricot who founded 200 years ago the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, a network of prayer and a collection of pennies for missionaries. Her work led to World Mission Sunday, which helps the Pope support missionary activity. This universal fund provided help to the new and growing churches in the United States, Burdeos said.