Exiit qui seminat

 Since 1927, the collection for "Mission Sunday" has been a part of the universal Church. Always taken up on the next to last Sunday in October, World Mission Sunday connects local Churches (like the Diocese of Camden) with their role and responsibility to evangelizing the whole world. It is a reminder that although the Catholic Church in the United States is fairly well established, it wasn't always so. Missionaries, priests and religious from across the world have come to these very shores to teach us the faith and to celebrate the sacramental life of the Church, especially the Eucharist. I have both written and spoken before that I was baptized by a priest from Ireland who emigrated to the United States in order to serve this local Church. St. Padre Pio, too, has been ministered by many priests from other lands. As many well know, this parish was supplied by Italian priests and religious. In more recent times, Father Anthony and Father Parisi have given witness here in Vineland and left a lasting legacy. Fr. Francis and Fr. John both spoke at length of how the Lord called them from Korea to be with the People of God in the United States. Father Al (of happy memory) was blessed to call both the United States and Uganda "home". He left a lasting memory with us all. I am also truly grateful for Fr. Dimitri and his presence here in Vineland. He has mentioned many times that his mission as a priest is not just limited to the Haitian community that he has been called to serve, but to share the Gospel with us all. And while this reality is so true for our local and "well established" Church, there are still many other places both in the United States and throughout the world that are not as fortunate as we are. The Church in these places may be newly established and burgeoning and require the help of the universal Church in order to continue to survive and to thrive. I pray that we not only give thanks to God for the blessings that we have received in this parish, but that we might be able to share our gifts with the whole Church so that she may grow and bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth

Sincerely yours in Christ,