World Mission Sunday

Diocese prays for missionaries, honors elementary school children at annual Mass

PATERSON  Every year, the Society for the Propagation of Faith, the Holy Father’s society to help the mission Church, marks the third Sunday of October as World Mission Sunday (WMS). In churches around the world, the faithful pray for the missionaries, who leave their homes to travel to the farthest ends of the Earth to bring the “Good News” to all people.

The diocese marked the international celebration with its WMS Mass in St. Gerard Majella Church here Oct. 18. It was an appropriate setting for the WMS Mass because the students at St. Gerard School have faithfully donated to the missions and for the last ten years, have earned first place honors among all Catholic schools in the diocese.

Coordinated by the diocesan Mission Office, Bishop Emeritus Frank Rodimer, who turns 88 this Sunday, was homilist of the Mass with Maryknoll Father Richard Quinn, a missionary priest for 50 years in Kenya and a native of the Paterson Diocese, as the main celebrant. Also concelebrating was Msgr. John Demkovich, director of the Mission Office; Vocationist Father Rijo Johnson, pastor of St. Gerard’s, and several diocesan and missionary priests. As in years past, the WMS Mass also honored school children who have supported the Propagation of Faith’s Missionary Childhood Association by raising money to help children in mission areas.

In his homily, Bishop Rodimer cited the patrons of missions — St. Francis Xavier and St. Therese, the Little Flower. He also mentioned that on Oct. 18, Pope Francis canonized St. Therese’s parents, Louis and Zelie Martin, as the first married couple to become saints. “What a wonderful thing that they were canonized together,” he said. “As the Pope met with bishops this whole month for the Synod, the Pope spoke about married couples. He said, ‘Today when we see a married loving couple, we see the fulfillment of the dream of God.’ I thought that was beautiful because I really never thought about God dreaming.” He also asked the congregation, “On this World Mission Sunday, what was the dream of Jesus? I think we have a very good idea about that. I’m sure he said, ‘I pray that the world will be one.’ ”

Bishop Rodimer acknowledged all the missionaries in the world and said, “For Jesus’ dream to come about, people had to be interested in bringing the truth and the Gospel message to others. Jesus’ dream is that people go out to the whole world and bring God’s love to others. Jesus would pray that ‘my joy will be yours and my joy will be complete.’ We are all missionaries, we are all part of God’s dream and today as we celebrate World Mission Sunday, we celebrate with the world — the people who worked for God’s dreams,” said Bishop Rodimer.

Following the Mass, Father Johnson thanked the congregation and Bishop Rodimer. “I come from India and it was many years ago when I met a priest from the Paterson Diocese named Father Francis Duffy when I was a child. It was because Bishop Rodimer sent him to serve in India that we became connected with the Diocese.”

Afterward, Msgr. Demkovich thanked the young people for their donations to the missions. “Every year these children collect their pennies and make their money go a long way to help other children in mission lands,” he said.

An annual highlight of the World Mission Sunday Mass is to honor children from parish schools and CCD programs throughout the diocese who have contributed to the missions.

Earning first place for parish schools, St. Gerard Majella School received a standing ovation from the congregation. This has been a significant year for the school as it also marks its 50th anniversary. Filippini Sister Jo-Ann Pompa, principal, said, “Everyone is so proud at the school. The children do an outstanding job serving the missions. That is a focus of our school and charism of St. Lucy Filippini — serving the poor. It means a lot to the children that they have done so much good for others. They are truly living the Beatitudes understanding their mission to bring God’s word and mission around the world and help support those in need.”