Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
St.Paul/Minneapolis (Agenzia Fides) – As the Society for the Propagation of the Faith (now more commonly referred to as the Center for Mission) in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis approaches its 75th year in operation, they will be sponsoring a special campaign for Advent/Christmas 2009. According to a statement sent to Agenzia Fides from Deacon Mickey Friesen, Director of the Center for Mission in the Archdiocese, the campaign is based on the popular Christmas hymn “Joy to the World” and will run from December 1 up until the end of the Liturgical Season of Christmas. Deacon Mickey Friesen comments that with the Mission Center's donors, they “want to promote mission ad gentes as the spirit of that hymn which calls for 'earth to receive her King' and 'let every heart prepare him room.' Secondly, we are inviting our youth, ages 8-18, to a writing contest. They are being asked to complete the phrase, 'I am a missionary....' The younger children will compose prayers and poems and the older children and teenagers will compose a 500-word essay about what it means to be missionary today at home and abroad.”
Friesen says that the essay will also be used in helping young people to reflect on the reality of immigration in the United States, in light of the example of the Holy Family who also had to flee their homeland. “We believe the message of Christmas is especially poignant for those who have needed to leave their homeland... Epiphany Sunday is also being declared as Migration Day to call attention to the Gospel implications for those in conflict at our borders and those who are on the move,” Friesen concludes. (AR) (Agenzia Fides 2/12/2009)
