Born to be Mission

By From the Heart | Catholic Culture

Oct 10

“Mission”… In general, one may define the word mission as a task or goal in life that is driven with conviction.  How many times have you heard people talk about “being on a mission!”?  I can get behind that, but there is also so much more!!  What mission does God call us on?  Aren’t we told to “go out to love and serve the Lord” at the end of Mass each Sunday?  How do we do this?

I believe we are called to walk in solidarity with our brothers and sisters here, and all across the world.  What might that mean, you ask?  I believe we are called to really get to know and walk with all people who may appear different from us, but in all reality are created just the same.  How can we understand human beings from a different culture, race, economic background, health situation, etc. if all we are doing is watching the news or believing what we read on the internet?  Don’t you really learn about a person by getting to know them personally?  I believe it is our job to focus on relationships and get to know our brothers and sisters from all over the world in a personal way.

The St. Cloud Diocese has long standing partnerships with the Diocese in Homa Bay Kenya and the Diocese in Maracay Venezuela.  Over the years, friendships based on mutual respect have been created.  They have visited us here and we there.  As a matter of fact, we are planning a trip to the Homa Bay Diocese in March, 2019.  16 of us will be immersed in the culture there for 2 weeks.  Our relationships will be nurtured and strengthened.

October is the month of mission.  We celebrated World Mission Rosary Day on October 5th.  Go to our Facebook page (St. Cloud Mission Office) to see pictures of this happening right here in our Diocese as well as a video of people from around the world praying the World Mission Rosary.  This rosary honors the work of mission, our call to be missioners, and world unity and peace through its special emphasis on each of the Earth’s regions, where prayers are needed and our brothers and sisters in Christ live and play and pray just like each of us!  Each region is represented by a different color; it is not only a beautiful rosary, but rich in symbolism.

On October 21st we will celebrate World Mission Sunday.  Through the work of our Diocesan Mission Office/The Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the World Mission Sunday celebration and collection connects us with the loving work of missionaries throughout the world as well as encounters taking place here in our own diocese.  It is the combination of these great encounters happening each and every day that mark us as true Christian disciples, true Missionary Disciples!  This year’s theme is “Born to be Mission”.  As always, World Mission Sunday collection funds will go to the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, a world-wide Catholic network of mission cooperation, which enables the Gospel of Jesus Christ to reach some of the most marginalized of our brothers and sisters on all ends of the earth.

I love to help people find and understand what their “mission” in this world is.  Who are you called to be in relationship with?  Come on over to the Mission Office and we can chat!

Katy Lentz serves as the Mission Educator at the St. Cloud Mission Office. She is married to her husband, Mike. Together they have five children – 3 in college, 1 in high school and 1 in middle school. Katy has worked in ministry 11 years and is very involved in the Central MN TEC program. She loves to walk with others to encounter Christ. When not working, she loves to read books, soak in the sunshine at the beach and spend time with her family.

 

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