OCEANIA/AUSTRALIA - A “double blessing” for World Mission Day, to become “missionaries in our own land”

Sydney (Agenzia Fides) – The parents of St. Therese of Lisieux, Patroness of the Missions, will be blessing World Mission Day 2008 in a special manner. On October 19, Zelie and Louis Martin will be beatified and their loving intercession will be poured out upon the missions all over the world. This is what the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) of Australia have affirmed in announcing the celebration of World Mission Day, which will be a great event of testimony and evangelization in all Australia.
Martin Teualan, layman and National Director of the PMS in Australia said, “We can find inspiration in Saint Therese and her parents. Like them, many of us are not missionaries overseas. However, like them we can be missionaries in our own country, learning to share the faith in family, in our workplace and community; praying and generously supporting the Church in meeting the spiritual and material needs of people in far away countries.”
“We ask all Australian Catholics,” he added, “to pray for the intercession of Saint Therese and her parents, so that we may act as one family, fulfilling our mission of love in the world.” (PA) (Agenzia Fides 14/10/2008)