Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vienna (Fides Service) – “The Mission Sunday collection, this year on 19 October, is the most widespread act solidarity in the world. The entire Catholic Church is involved in this 77th Mission Sunday collection to help the poorest dioceses in Africa, Asia and Latin America”. This is the rallying call from the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in Austria, Missio Austria, reminding all Catholics not to forget to make their contribution to the Mission Sunday Collection. In a press statement the PMS offices in Austria also quote Cardinal Joachim Meisner Archbishop of Cologne for the missionary month in Germany: “Mission today is more than ever necessary and needs constant encouragement and supported by the Church”. Mission today offers us the chance to learn from others and to grow in faith by living the experience of the universal Church” the Cardinal said.
With this in mind Missio Austria chose Rwanda as the theme of this year’s Mission Sunday campaign. This little central African country in the recent past has lived the tragedy of genocide. Today victims and persecutors live together in a small land and “the challenges are numerous: building reconciliation, eliminating poverty, fighting AIDS… Missio Austria wants to make 2003 the year of Rwanda’s rebirth, to help the country put behind the emergency caused by the genocide”.
Animation material prepared and distributed all over the country for the missionary month of October, including also didactic material for working with children and young people, can be viewed at www.missio.at MS (Fides Service 17/10/2003 EM lines 27 Words: 318)
