Optimism rang in Pope John Paul II’s message on World Mission Sunday last year: “At no other time has the Church had so many possibilities of proclaiming Jesus.”
At about this time, a boy in a small Mexican village was urging his dad to come to church with him. Whenever his son, Luis, spoke of these things, Miguel felt a powerful pull. Yet he was reluctant. He hadn’t been to Mass for years, and he hadn’t married Luis’ mother in the Church.
The Holy Father’s message asked us to see “the merciful face of Jesus in the brothers and sisters, especially the poor and needy, in those far from the faith.”
His words aptly describe Miguel and his family. They were desperately poor and distant from the hope of the gospel. Yet somehow, the missionary message got through to Miguel’s son…and through the child to the father.
“The fervor of the apostles must not be allowed to weaken, especially in regard to the mission ad gentes,” said the pope.
That fervor was carried “to the nations” — in this case a tiny Mexican town — by a lay missionary from Catholic World Mission. He captured the imagination of a boy who knew he was Catholic, but didn’t know what that meant.
As Luis learned about his faith, he took the message home. Mom and dad got married in the church…but tragedy struck. Just five days before Miguel went on his first retreat, Luis died.
Heartbreak! Grief! Those words cannot describe the pain that tore through Miguel. In his devastation, he to didn’t want to go on that Catholic World Mission retreat. Yet he had made a promise to his only son. So he went…and his heart caught fire with the love of Christ.
For the first time, Miguel felt the power of the faith he left behind in his childhood. Later, inspired by his son’s memory, he became of CWM lay missionary himself. Today, he’s part of the grand vision the Holy Father spoke about on World Mission Sunday, a vision that’s changing the world one soul at a time.
The impact of the faith Miguel shares is powerful — not only in building the Kingdom of God, but in building hope in this world here and now. In Miguel’s village, men who once squandered their days now work to support their families. Mothers are marketing their crafts, and more children are attending school.
Is it any wonder this work has attracted the attention of bishops in Mexico! But with the shortage of priests and religious, more lay missionaries are needed. This is particularly true as fundamentalists draw vast numbers away from their Catholic faith in Latin America — as many as 15,000 every day!
That’s why we must heed Pope John Paul II’s call: “It is necessary to prepare capable and holy evangelizers.” For news from the ramparts in the struggle to win souls for Christ in Latin America, go to the website: www.catholicworldmission.org.
