MISSION APPEAL JULY 15TH & 16TH

Every year during the summer months, the parishes of the Diocese of Buffalo host missionaries from around the world. These missionaries come to the parishes in the Diocese to explain the work that they do and 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 Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, to visit St. Louis Parish.

Sr. Barbara Bartkowiak, OSF will be with us next weekend July 15th and 16th for our annual Mission Appeal. Sr. Barbara has been an Allegany Franciscan Sister for many years and is an active member in the St. Elizabeth Mission Society. She was an Elementary School Teacher for seven years and then became involved in the liturgy, sacraments, and worked as a Director of Religious Education.

Sr. Barbara has done volunteer mission work in Jamaica and Bolivia and knows well how funds are needed for underprivileged people. As a member of the Mission Society Board, Sr. Barbara has secured grants for requests to be used in Massachusetts, New York City, Florida and Olean, New York.

Sr. Barbara will speak to us on behalf of the St. Elizabeth Mission Society, which supports the ministry of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany to the poor in Brazil, Bolivia, Jamaica, Mozambique, and the United States.

The Franciscan Sisters of Allegany were the first American founded congregation to send sisters to the foreign mission. They minister to those in need, especially the underprivileged, the undernourished, the marginalized, and victims of injustice and violence.

The Franciscan Sisters of Allegany continue to respond to the overwhelming needs of our brothers and sisters through education, health care, and social ministries in Jamaica, Brazil, Mozambique, Bolivia, and the United States. Next weekend the second collection will be for the support of the good works of the St. Elizabeth Mission Society.