MISSIONARY VISIT TO ST. LOUIS

                Every year during the summer months the parishes of the Diocese host missionaries from around the world. These missionaries come to the parishes in the Diocese to explain the work that they do and to ask for our prayers and support for their various missions.

                This year the Office of the Propagation of the Faith in our Diocese has assigned the “Missionaries of Faith, India” to visit St. Louis Parish as well as parishes in North Tonawanda and Lakewood. We welcome Father Joy Kumarthusseril next weekend Saturday, June 30th and Sunday, July 1st to preach to us about their missions.

                The religious congregation “Missionaries of Faith” was founded in Italy by Anna Maria Andreani and Fr. Luigi Duilio Graziotti. Its missions extended to the Philippines, Samoa, India, Vietnam, Myanmar, Venezuela and the West Indies. The Charism of the Institute is “Faith and Mission.”

                The mission in India was begun in 1989 with seven priests. Today there are 85 priests in two provinces of India. The “Missionaries of Faith” are also found in Italy, United States and Canada. Its main activities are evangelization, orphanages to educate poor children, promotion of religious vocations and other charitable works.

                The Missionary activities of the Province of India totally depend on the providence of God. Sometimes the activities of the “Missionaries of Faith” are curtailed by lack of financial resources. The support the congregation receives from the MCP program are used generally to support their 78 seminarians who are in formation, support the more than 600 poor children for education, other charitable works and the support of opening new mission parishes.

                A second collection will be taken up next weekend to support the missionary activities of the “Missionaries of Faith, India.”