Service is at heart of missions, Father Alindogan says on Mission Sunday

By MARY STADNYK
Associate Editor

Focusing on the Gospel message for Oct. 20 and the universal observance of World Mission Sunday, Father Peter James Alindogan reflected on how Jesus taught about what it means to serve and be of service to others.

PHOTO GALLERY: 2024 World Mission Sunday Mass

“Service is hardship and commitment; it is partaking in the baptism of self-surrender and conversion; it is about drinking the cup of salvation, just as Jesus said in the Gospel,” said Father Alindogan, Trenton Diocese’s director of the Office of Missions.

“Jesus is also telling the disciples about humility, which is a pathway to God, the springboard of all virtues,” he said. While “pride divides us from touching God, humility unites us in embracing him. Pride makes us think we deserve something better than we are. Humility brings us back to our senses.”

Father Alindogan, diocesan director of missions and pastor of St. Veronica Parish, Howell, served as principal celebrant and homilist of the diocesan World Mission Sunday Mass at St. Benedict Church, Holmdel. Concelebrants included Father Daison Areepparampil, parochial vicar of St. James Parish, Red Bank, and also serves as a missionary.

During the Mass, Father Alindogan presented a certificate to Frankie Picciolo, a student in St. Benedict School, who was named a national winner in the 2024 Mission Artwork Contest sponsored by the Missionary Childhood Association. Father Alindogan also recognized the grammar schools and parish religious education programs that were top contributors to the missions for 2023-2024: St. Jerome School, West Long Branch, first place; St. Benedict School, Holmdel, second place; and St. Joan of Arc School, Marlton, honorable mention.

The parish religious education programs were St. Paul, Princeton, first place; Nativity, Fair Haven, second place; and St. Rose, Belmar, honorable mention.

Of this year’s World Mission Sunday theme, “Go and invite everyone to the banquet” (Mt 22:9), Father Alindogan said all the baptized are called to participate “in this universal call to holiness and mission.”

“It is that we are celebrating worldwide through our prayers, intentions and offerings,” he said, adding that there are places where Christ’s Good News has not yet been received, or has only been recently received or “has been imprisoned or held captive in the face of persecution.”

“We are all one this day as we express our solidarity with missionaries – men and women all over the world – as we continually sustain the mission territories of the Catholic Church in more than 1,150 mission territories,” he said. “We are called to go out to the world and invite them to experience what it is to be loved by God.

“We invite everyone to the feast of the Eucharist, to the ultimate banquet in the kingdom of heaven,” he said.

Father Alindogan presents a certificate to a student from St. Jerome School, West Long Branch, which was recognized with a first place award for contributions to the missions for 2024-2025.