The Newsletter of Catholic Mission
Registered by Australia Post NAR 3547 5/93 Volume 16 No1
World Mission Month
Youth in Mission. Care for Creation. Care for Neighbour Welcome to the latest issue of Mission Today, celebrating October as World Mission Month and culminating in World Mission Day on Sunday 21 October. The theme for World Mission Month 2007 is Youth in Mission, Care for Creation, Care for Neighbour. Catholic Mission is celebrating the great work that so many are doing around the world to continue Jesus’ mission. We’re shining the spotlight on how many young people are involved in Jesus’ Mission, making a world of difference by proclaiming the Gospel with their daily lives in the streets and in schools, in urban and in rural areas. In this celebration we’re particularly highlighting a better future with regards to caring for creation and caring for our neighbour. Almost every challenge facing God’s creation today – pollution, deforestation, falling bio-diversity, global warming – all have their roots in social imbalance and lack
of care for each other. Where there is ecological degradation it is the poor and most vulnerable who suffer first and worst. Catholic Mission supports thousands of projects around the world, and in particular many projects that help Care for Creation. By helping people in communities we often help the environment as well. Recently in Aitape, Papua New Guinea, Catholic Mission helped install six solar panels for six Mission stations in remote areas. For these people this is the only way they can have electricity. continued overleaf
A Sudanese refugee who is caring for neighbour… When Augustino Dut was growing up in Sudan, it was very difficult. Augustino loved to study, but it was hard. “The school I attended had no classrooms. We sat outside under trees to have our lessons,” said Augustino. Later, the community built mud huts for the children to take their classes in, but they were burnt down in the war.
Imagine living in a country in which the average life expectancy is just 37 years. One in five of your friends and family members is HIV positive. Your children are at great risk of succumbing to malaria. Health and education services are grossly inadequate. Privatisation means it’s too expensive to grow your own food and unemployment is high. Where do you turn? Left: Catholic Mission supports healthcare for mothers and babies in Zambia continued overleaf
Right: Augustino Dut fled Sudan as a four-year-old boy. continued overleaf
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Catholic Mission National Office: Level 5, 47 Neridah St Chatswood NSW 2067