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Pope's Message to Reach Out
8 Sep 2009
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Leprosy sufferer Shankar with his daughter |
Catholic Mission calls all Australian Catholics to reach out with Christ’s love to support dioceses that help people affected by leprosy and HIV/AIDS.
“The mission of the Church is to make hope contagious to all whom we meet. It is the desire of the Church to transform the world with the proclamation of the Gospel of love, and to bring the light of God into this world,” the Pope said in his annual address.
“Many missionaries bear witness to and spread the Kingdom of God in difficult situations, ranging from social discrimination to prison, torture, and even death. In this, they walk the same path and suffer the same destiny as Christ did in his mission.”
“Leprosy still has a huge stigma associated with it, even though it is now a curable disease. HIV/AIDS unfortunately doesn’t have a cure but does carry with it the same stigma that leprosy sufferers have endured for thousands of years. In countries like India people known to have had leprosy or be HIV positive are ostracised from their village or home, along with their children” said Martin Teulan, National Director of Catholic Mission Australia. “That’s why the projects we support are so important, as they are inclusive of everyone.”
Catholic Mission has supported the Church in India to meet spiritual and practical needs of people in vulnerable and remote communities. The funding support enables priests, sisters and lay workers in these communities to provide medical care, shelter, rehabilitation, pastoral outreach, and a place of acceptance.
Catholic Mission, the Pope’s own mission societies, works in 160 countries around the world and has done so for over 185 years.
The Pope called for the international Catholic community to pray and give financial support, especially in these difficult economic times.
“I thank Catholic Mission for their indispensable service in inspiring and promoting involvement in the missionary activity of the Church,” the Pope said. “I thank them for their financial assistance to the Young Churches.”
This World Mission Sunday, 18 October, you are asked to give generously.
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