Each year the diocese invites several religious orders to visit the parishes of our diocese in order to ask for financial support for their missionary endeavors.  St. Paul Parish has been visited by numerous missionary orders over the past 37 years.  This year we are being asked to share our good fortunes with the Vietnamese Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena. 

    Missionary work is a vital part of Catholic life.  We are asked to participate in this work of evangelization in various ways.  Some of us may be called to actually give up our homes and to dedicate our lives to areas of the third world that need our energy, talents, and love for God’s people.  Most of us are asked to support the missions through our prayer life.  We often forget to pray for the mission world.  Prayers are never left unanswered.  If we believe in God’s love for his people we will be faithful to prayer.  All of us who are able are asked to support the missions in a financial manner.  The missionaries give of their lives and often have to deal with situations that are very difficult because they have little or no money. 

    Scripture tells us that Christ himself sent the apostle out into the world to spread the Good News of the Gospel.  This mandate was taken seriously by the church over the centuries. Although this mandate was not always well understood, the church has continued to search for a positive way of spreading the Good News.  Today, missionaries devote their lives to the ideas of Education and Justice. Love is the main focus of missionary work.  This type of love demands many sacrifices.  Missionaries need our moral and financial support.    

    The religious order of Dominicans is true to their founder’s charism as they dedicate much of their efforts to the ministry of religious education.  They also serve God’s people through their work in healthcare clinics, nursing home facilities, leper colonies, and helping victims of AIDS.  The Sisters also have “Houses of Love” that serve as soup kitchens.  Most of their work is done with the poor children of the country although some of their work includes the poor elderly.

    Vietnam is a poor country. Many of our American veterans served in this poor wore torn country and know the truth of this reality.   There was and still is very little opportunity to raise funds locally.  The missionary efforts of the sisters depend heavily
(about 50-60% of their budget) on the Missionary Coop Plan of the US Bishops.  Let us open our hearts to these missionaries and even if we cannot afford a tremendous amount, all is welcome.  Let us not forget to pray however, Prayer costs nothing and it is so important.
                            Lorette P. Nault