Diocese celebrates World Mission Sunday with vibrant, joyful Mass
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
Diocese celebrates World Mission Sunday with vibrant, joyful Mass
By Rose O’Connor, Correspondent
St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, came alive with joy and color, as it hosted the diocese’s observance of World Mission Sunday Oct. 21.Msgr. Richard Tofani, director of the Diocesan Pontifical Mission Societies, shared his gratitude to Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., for the opportunity to celebrate the Mass in the diocese’s Mother Church. Msgr. Tofani also thanked the parishioners for their hospitality following the Mass celebrated in many parishioners’ native language, Spanish.
“In years past we traveled from parish to parish to celebrate this day and they were always such wonderful celebrations,” he continued, “but to actually celebrate here in a church with so many Latino nationalities represented, it really reflects the global nature and global family of our Church.”
A procession of 20 flags representing the 20 Latino cultures of which members of the parish belong followed the American and papal flags, illustrating the character of the universal Catholic Church.
World Mission Sunday, organized by the Propagation of the Faith, is a day set aside for Catholics worldwide to recommit themselves to the Church’s missionary activity through prayer and sacrifice.
Each year, World Mission Sunday is celebrated on the next-to-last Sunday in October. As detailed by Pope John Paul II, World Mission Sunday is “an important day in the life of the Church because it teaches how to give: as an offering made to God, in the Eucharistic celebration and for all the missions of the world” (Redemptoris Missio 81).
Joining Msgr. Tofani was Father Carlos Castilla, parochial vicar at the cathedral and Father Tulio Ramirez.
Father Ramirez belongs to the Misioneros Javerianos de Yarumal or the Yarumal Society for the foreign missions founded in Colombia. For the past year Father Ramirez has been the pastor of Our Savior Parish, the Bronx, N.Y.
“It is the only congregation our order has in North America,” he explained of his parish. “It provides us opportunity to travel around and speak about the missions.”
Prior to his pastorate, Father Ramirez, a native of Colombia, spent nearly seven years in Kenya and nine years in Ethiopia. In his homily, Father Ramirez spoke of his experiences as a missionary in Africa and was thrilled to share these experiences with the faith community on World Mission Sunday when he was invited to Trenton by Msgr. Tofani.
“I want people to know that missions are happening and we really appreciate prayers. I know people do remember us and we do not do this alone, we do this together.”
“We do this because it is our vocation, it is our calling,” he continued, “and World Mission Sunday is a great opportunity to remember that missions are happening around the world.”
There are currently 10 foreign missionaries from the Diocese of Trenton serving the Church.
This year, World Mission Sunday holds a special significance as Pope Benedict XVI indicated in his apostolic letter, “Called to radiate the Word of truth” (Apostolic Letter Porta Fidei, n. 6).
“This year the celebration of World Mission Day has a very special meaning. The 50th anniversary of the beginning of the Second Vatican Council and of the opening of the Year of Faith and of the Synod of Bishops on the theme of the New Evangelization contribute to reaffirming the Church’s desire to engage with greater courage and zeal in the missio ad gentes so that the Gospel may reach the very ends of the earth,” the pope advised.
Pointing to the Holy Father’s message, and the day’s Responsorial Psalm – “of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full” – Father Ramirez, recalled how they were reflected in something he had seen before the Mass.
“I saw a man gather the flags of the different countries that were used in the procession. I saw him embrace all of the flags and he struggled a bit so he hugged them tighter and closer to himself and I thought, ‘this man is doing what I came to share here, embrace the whole world,” he shared.
“We know that the kindness of the Lord fills the Earth and that’s what we do in the missions, we fill the Earth with the Lord’s kindness,” Father Ramirez concluded.
The Pontifical Mission Societies consist of The Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Missionary Childhood Association, The Society of St. Peter Apostle and the Missionary Union of Priests and Religious. The Pontifical Mission Societies have, as their primary purpose, the promotion of the universal mission spirit—a spirit of prayer and sacrifice— among all baptized Catholics.[[In-content Ad]]
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By Rose O’Connor, Correspondent
St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, came alive with joy and color, as it hosted the diocese’s observance of World Mission Sunday Oct. 21.Msgr. Richard Tofani, director of the Diocesan Pontifical Mission Societies, shared his gratitude to Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., for the opportunity to celebrate the Mass in the diocese’s Mother Church. Msgr. Tofani also thanked the parishioners for their hospitality following the Mass celebrated in many parishioners’ native language, Spanish.
“In years past we traveled from parish to parish to celebrate this day and they were always such wonderful celebrations,” he continued, “but to actually celebrate here in a church with so many Latino nationalities represented, it really reflects the global nature and global family of our Church.”
A procession of 20 flags representing the 20 Latino cultures of which members of the parish belong followed the American and papal flags, illustrating the character of the universal Catholic Church.
World Mission Sunday, organized by the Propagation of the Faith, is a day set aside for Catholics worldwide to recommit themselves to the Church’s missionary activity through prayer and sacrifice.
Each year, World Mission Sunday is celebrated on the next-to-last Sunday in October. As detailed by Pope John Paul II, World Mission Sunday is “an important day in the life of the Church because it teaches how to give: as an offering made to God, in the Eucharistic celebration and for all the missions of the world” (Redemptoris Missio 81).
Joining Msgr. Tofani was Father Carlos Castilla, parochial vicar at the cathedral and Father Tulio Ramirez.
Father Ramirez belongs to the Misioneros Javerianos de Yarumal or the Yarumal Society for the foreign missions founded in Colombia. For the past year Father Ramirez has been the pastor of Our Savior Parish, the Bronx, N.Y.
“It is the only congregation our order has in North America,” he explained of his parish. “It provides us opportunity to travel around and speak about the missions.”
Prior to his pastorate, Father Ramirez, a native of Colombia, spent nearly seven years in Kenya and nine years in Ethiopia. In his homily, Father Ramirez spoke of his experiences as a missionary in Africa and was thrilled to share these experiences with the faith community on World Mission Sunday when he was invited to Trenton by Msgr. Tofani.
“I want people to know that missions are happening and we really appreciate prayers. I know people do remember us and we do not do this alone, we do this together.”
“We do this because it is our vocation, it is our calling,” he continued, “and World Mission Sunday is a great opportunity to remember that missions are happening around the world.”
There are currently 10 foreign missionaries from the Diocese of Trenton serving the Church.
This year, World Mission Sunday holds a special significance as Pope Benedict XVI indicated in his apostolic letter, “Called to radiate the Word of truth” (Apostolic Letter Porta Fidei, n. 6).
“This year the celebration of World Mission Day has a very special meaning. The 50th anniversary of the beginning of the Second Vatican Council and of the opening of the Year of Faith and of the Synod of Bishops on the theme of the New Evangelization contribute to reaffirming the Church’s desire to engage with greater courage and zeal in the missio ad gentes so that the Gospel may reach the very ends of the earth,” the pope advised.
Pointing to the Holy Father’s message, and the day’s Responsorial Psalm – “of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full” – Father Ramirez, recalled how they were reflected in something he had seen before the Mass.
“I saw a man gather the flags of the different countries that were used in the procession. I saw him embrace all of the flags and he struggled a bit so he hugged them tighter and closer to himself and I thought, ‘this man is doing what I came to share here, embrace the whole world,” he shared.
“We know that the kindness of the Lord fills the Earth and that’s what we do in the missions, we fill the Earth with the Lord’s kindness,” Father Ramirez concluded.
The Pontifical Mission Societies consist of The Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Missionary Childhood Association, The Society of St. Peter Apostle and the Missionary Union of Priests and Religious. The Pontifical Mission Societies have, as their primary purpose, the promotion of the universal mission spirit—a spirit of prayer and sacrifice— among all baptized Catholics.[[In-content Ad]]
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