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Give... Faith, Hope, Love
Francis Bwalya holds his son, Christian, after receiving emergency treatment for malaria at the Kasanka clinic while his brother Peter looks on. Treating secondary infections such as malaria is vital to extending their life expectancy in order to avoid any further weakening of the immune system. Franics is HIV positive and Christian's status is not yet known.
Welcome to the Catholic Mission Church Appeal 2010! This year's theme is a call to put every element of faith into action. The Gospel compels us to share with others the faith and hope of Jesus Christ. Here in Australia and throughout the world. Even in remote communities in countries like Zambia, where 85% of the population lives on less than $1 a day and where more than a million people (15% of the population) have HIV/AIDS, leaving over 600,000 orphans. (Source: AVERT website http://www.avert.org/)
As Pope Paul VI said of the Gospel:
"[The Gospel] is a question of people's salvation... It is able to stir up by itself faith - faith that rests on the power of God. It is truth. It merits having the apostle consecrate to it all his time and all his energies, and to sacrifice for it, if necessary, his own life." (Evangelii Nuntiandi, 5)
Such sacrifice is driven by God's gracious love. It compels people throughout the world to love genuinely and deeply.
Daily in the remote Kasanka region of northern Zambia, Sisters Marie Bourke, Rogita and Anna reach out to 90 villages giving life to over a thousand people who are infected or in some way affected by HIV/AIDS. The sisters' faith takes them into homes of people who grieve the loss of loved ones. Loss is great in a region where 1 in 5 people are infected by the devastating virus, and few services exist to help.
Through home-based, clinical and palliative care, the sisters have helped to reduce the mortality rate dramatically especially for children.
Read more about the work of Sisters Marie, Rogita and Anna in Zambia.
Read more about Kasongo's Story.
Read more about Parishes, Church Appeal - Bulletin Notices.
Donate now to the Catholic Mission Church Appeal.
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