Mission Today issue 18

A CATHOLIC MISSION MAGAZINE ISSUE 18

Building Faith in the Wabag Diocese Sharing the Lord's Love and Compassion End Child Detention

Treating the Children:

Body and Soul

MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine

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In this issue…

A WARM WELCOME TO OUR NEW PATRON! 4 GRATITUDE IS THE MUSIC OF THE HEART

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BUILDING FAITH IN THE WABAG DIOCESE

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TREATING THE CHILDREN: BODY AND SOUL

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SHARING THE LORD'S LOVE AND COMPASSION 10 END CHILD DETENTION

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COMING SOON, 2013 WORLD MISSION APPEAL 14 ’SOCK IT’ TO POVERTY!

15 Faith in action—sharing the Word with the people of Papua New Guinea

PO Box 1668 North Sydney NSW 2059 T: 02 9919 7800 F: 02 8904 0185 E: admin@catholicmission.org.au

Freecall: 1800 257 296 catholicmission.org.au

Reading the 'Buk Bible' in Pidgin

Feeling God's hope and joy

Dear faithful supporters, Catholic Mission is a Pontifical organisation and our patron is the Pope.

Each year in May, National Directors from around the world come together in Rome to meet and vote on the projects to which we will distribute funds throughout Africa, Asia, the Americas and the Pacific in the upcoming year, before meeting with His Holiness.

This year, many people have asked: “Everything we see in the media of Pope Francis is positive—is he like that in reality?”

Let me tell you my experience. Before our meeting this year, all of us—120 National Directors and thirty staff members from our international office based in Rome— lined up in a small hall. There were discussions in the next room about how many of us would actually meet the Pope, as in the past only a limited number have been granted a personal greeting.

When Pope Francis suddenly entered the room, he spoke from a prepared speech.

But at one point, he stopped and looked up. “A missionary paradigm, a missionary paradigm, a missionary paradigm,” he emphasised. Breaking with the prepared script, he emphasised that everything we do must be about outreach to others. “It is much better to take the risk and go out to others than just to stay within ourselves.”

“I would like to meet everyone here,” he continued. There was a murmur of unease amongst the surprised Vatican security, who then proceeded to ask all the National Directors to line up to meet His Holiness! For me, it was a great honour. I spoke in my limited Italian, sharing that I am the only lay National Director within the Catholic Mission network and from Australia. “Non priest?” he answered.

“Australia! Ah! Pray for me.” And he spoke in the same friendly tone to everyone, making full eye contact, smiling widely and warmly shaking each person’s hands, drawing them in to him.

other National Directors, I was often asked “Why is that so?”

The answer is very simple—many Australian supporters have not only been generous givers, but regular givers. It is our regular givers that provide the backbone of our support for so many worthwhile, life-changing projects. It is why we support more children’s projects than any other country around the world. Monthly giving is so cost effective, we simply push a few buttons and the money is received—so much more goes to the projects.

To all of our supporters, I want to thank each of you very sincerely, as I see your support changing the lives of so many beautiful people. Bringing the love of God through faith and through practical support are the greatest gifts possible, and your generosity is doing just that— one life at a time.

May the inspiration of Pope Francis help us all to take the risk to go on mission— through our prayer, through our financial support, and also by our sharing our gift of faith and our care for people around us who are in need.

God bless you,

Martin Teulan BA Dip Ed, MA Th. St. National Director

After he had met the National Directors, his Holiness said, “I have not met everyone!

Please!” So the remaining staff from the international office came forward, so excited to meet the new Pontiff.

Yes, Pope Francis is just as special in reality as in the media.

Catholic Mission Australia has been particularly successful in raising funds for more than 700 projects around the world, and at that recent meeting with

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Gratitude is the Music of the Heart A Warm Welcome

to our New Patron!

We welcome the arrival of our new Pope with excitement and enthusiasm! As the Australian arm of the Pope’s own mission organisation, we are glad that a church of the ‘South’ has contributed the gift of Pope Francis to the whole Church. We pray that our new Holy Father will bring new life into the Catholic Church and inspire all Catholics in our mission of sharing the Word, caring for those in need and acting for justice throughout the world.

Address of Holy Father Francis Clementine Hall, Friday, 17 May 2013

it so that it can illumine a great many of our brethren on their journey.

I am particularly glad, dear brothers and sisters, to meet for the first time the National Directors of Catholic Mission who have come from all over the world. I also greet all the co-workers of the Dicastery and of the Pontifical Mission Societies, priests, religious and lay people.

For every Christian, for the whole Church, this is not an optional mission, but essential. As St Paul said: “if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Cor 9:16). God’s salvation is for everyone!

I would like to tell you that you are particularly dear to me because you help me to keep ever alive the activity of evangelisation, the paradigm of every work of the Church.

I repeat to you, dear National Directors, the invitation that Paul VI addressed to you almost fifty years ago, to jealously guard the universal breadth of the Mission Societies, “which have the honour, responsibility and duty to support the mission [to proclaim the Gospel], to administer the necessary aid” (Discourse to the Pontifical Mission Societies, 14 May 1965: aas 57, 1965, 520).

Mission is the paradigm of every Church institution; it is a paradigmatic attitude. And in this task the Pontifical Mission Societies are a privileged instrument in the hands of the Pope who is the source and foundation of the unity and universality of the Church (cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution, Lumen Gentium, n.23).

It is urgently necessary to find new forms and new ways to ensure that God’s grace may touch the heart of every man and of every woman and lead them to him. We are all simple but important instruments of his; we have not received the gift of faith to keep it hidden, but, rather, to spread PAGE 4

Dear brothers and sisters, as I renew my thanks to you all, I encourage you to continue your commitment to seeing that the local churches assume ever more generously their share of responsibility in the Church’s universal mission.

To you, to your co-workers, to your families, to all those who are dear to you, and to your missionary work, I impart my Blessing. © Copyright 2013 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana www.news.va/en/news/habemus-papam-cardinalbergolio-elected-pope

Earlier this year, for three weeks in June, we were blessed to have Sister Clara and Sister Nirmal Rose from the Marialaya children’s home in Chennai, India, visit Australia on behalf of Catholic Mission to share incredibly inspirational stories of rescuing young girls from child trafficking and labour, which was featured recently in our Propagation of the Faith campaign.

We’re thrilled to report that, thanks to your generosity, Catholic Mission will be able to fund the three new girls’ homes that Sister Clara has desperately wanted to build in a rural area near Chennai. The homes will provide these traumatised young girls, who have been rescued by Sister Clara, with the opportunity for a better life. Work has already begun on laying the foundations for these homes, along with a well to supply their water needs. We are also well on the way towards being able to send funds to furnish the homes and build a community hall and chapel on the land, as well as a building to run vocational training classes in computer studies and tailoring for teenage girls.

If you haven't already watched the inspirational DVD 'Do not be afraid…

I will rescue you', you can view it here: www.catholicmission.org.au/ rescueDVD If you would like to make a donation to help Sister Clara and Sister Nirmal Rose continue their work, visit this link: www.catholicmission.org.au/rescue As well as the letter from Sister Clara, the children at Marialaya also prepared a ‘thank you DVD’ for Catholic Mission supporters, which you can view here: www.catholicmission.org.au/ rescuethankyou MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine

Sister Clara se andMission MISSION Catholic Magazine NirmalARo SisterTODAY

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PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Catholic Mission—Building Faith in the Wabag Diocese Catholic Mission funds projects throughout Papua New Guinea (PNG) to support the growth of the Catholic faith. Dioceses use the funds to support local clergy and to cover transportation costs for pastoral ministry and social services, such as health and education. The funds also help build and maintain infrastructure, such as churches, presbyteries and convents.

In the Diocese of Wabag, located in the rugged environment of the central highlands, where most settlements lie between 1 500 and 2 500 metres above sea level, Catholic Mission is helping the local church in a variety of ways—undertaking outreach activities such as pastoral and social work, as well as family counselling, health care and educational development.

bring transformation to the lives of the people throughout Wabag’s seventeen parishes.

The diocese has 198 catechists from the age of eighteen to thirty-eight who work hard to proclaim the Gospel and

Every year formation is provided to catechists through disciple schools, retreats and workshops, in partnership

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Through the generous support of our donors, Catholic Mission funds formation activities and provides a small allowance to the catechists.

Catechists are essential to this work because most parishes are situated in remote mountains and villages.

with the local people who also contribute money, material and gifts in kind to help the catechists do their work.

A typical day for these pastoral agents involves taking part in daily Mass and meeting with the parish priest afterwards, providing religious instruction for baptisms, visiting outstations for instruction and Communion, family prayer and fellowship at night with the Christian community.

MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine

Work with Communities

Learning about the Lord

One of the catechists is thirty-five year old Titus Mak from the Sangurap parish. Married with five children, he was educated to grade six level before returning to his remote village. After showing an interest in pastoral work, the local priest identified him as having the potential to be an outstanding catechist, and was provided with catechetical training. The funds used to support his training were provided via Catholic Mission.

Titus works full-time for the work of the church in his village, and the small remuneration he receives for his catechism work helps feed his large family and allows for his children to be educated. Thanks to his role with the Catholic Church, the future of Titus’s family looks bright because the children are able to go to school and are hoping to train for a professional career so that they can have a good income. They are always thankful for the role the Catholic church plays in their community, and Titus and his wife are hoping that at least one or two of their children follow in Titus’s footsteps by doing pastoral work or even becoming a priest or a nun.

established in 1962, is one of the most remote parishes in the Wabag diocese.

This parish is situated approximately 10 000 feet above sea level and the climate is very cold. The parish consists of 4 661 faithful Catholics.

Previously, the parish house was made out of organic bush materials and was used by different parish priests for almost fifty years. However, this simple home was not suitable due to the cold weather conditions and general wear and tear, so with the help of Catholic Mission, the parish community was able to construct a new parish house to be used by the parish priest, seminarians, religious people and pastoral workers when they visit the area for training. The local community, always proud of their Catholic leaders, actively participated in the construction of the parish home, contributing some money, as well as timber and labour.

Stephen Puio, a twenty-three year old seminarian was recently posted to the Mariant parish to do his pastoral

The new parish house has given new energy not only to me, but also to the pastoral workers and seminarians and has inspired them to do good work because of proper shelter and food. experience with parish priest Reverend Aaron Sakan. Thankfully, Stephen is able to stay at the parish house during his time in Mariant. The parish desperately needs pastoral workers, and Stephen’s presence and assistance has been of vital importance and help to Father Aaron with their work in pastoral activities, non formal education, retreats and communion services.

“The new parish house has given new energy not only to me, but also to the pastoral workers and seminarians and has inspired them to do good work because of proper shelter and food.

Therefore, it is worth it to have a good and decent house for the priest and pastoral workers' accommodation,” Reverend Aaron explains. “The presence of the good permanent house is also a sign of development in a rural place like Mariant parish because most people live in houses made of bush material.”

The Bishop of Wabag writes to Catholic Mission Australia: “Prayerful wishes and greetings from the Catholic Diocese of Wabag, PNG. Thank you very much for all your economic support and generous heart to our diocese to carry on our mission to implement the plan of the diocese.”

Catholic Mission has also helped fund the construction of a presbytery for the parish of Mariant, which, MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine

The new parish house

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PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Treating the Children:

Body and Soul

In the developing world, countless parents and carers struggle to provide the basic needs for their children—such things as food, medicine, education and shelter are luxuries for some.

Through Catholic Mission, thousands of crucial local initiatives, which specifically benefit children under the age of fifteen, receive essential funding. Such things as schools, health and nutrition programs, orphanages and rehabilitation centres are supported. These programs enable children to develop their physical, social, emotional and spiritual well-being, thus engaging in a holistic approach to child development, and additionally assisting whole families in desperate need.

Thirteen year old Junior lives with his grandmother in Simbu, a remote Papua New Guinean (PNG) province.

Abandoned by his parents when he was an infant, his older brother supports him and his grandmother by carrying bags of sweet potatoes at a local market. Although living

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in poverty, Junior is able to access free healthcare, thanks to the efforts of Father Arnold Schmitt and Sister Henriquetta Muchate.

With the support of Catholic Mission, Fr Arnold, Sr Henriquetta and the sisters of St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral have started a mobile health clinic, which

provides medical treatment and spiritual outreach to the poor of their diocese.

In just the last year, they’ve treated 6 092 children in forty-four communities.

Their treatment includes providing a free health record book, which, for many children, is the only record of their date of birth, vaccinations and other

MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine

Work with Children We’re very grateful for the generous support we’ve received and, by continuing our work, we’re confident that God’s grace will reach everyone in our community. their tireless efforts at the mobile health clinic, the team are doing their best to lower the country’s mortality rate where, currently, fifty-eight children out of every 1 000 die before their fifth birthday. This means that more children will now have a chance, like Junior, to enjoy longer childhoods and, hopefully, brighter futures.

A healthy start for all

medication. As Sr Henriquetta explains, this information is vital to their work.

“In the elementary schools, having such records not only allows us to provide the Tetanus Toxoid vaccine, but also to combat anaemia and heart problems.”

Approximately 220 000 inhabitants live in urban dwellings within the Lae diocese, where there is no electricity

or clean drinking water. Due to this, families often store rain water in rusty drums, which poses serious health problems. “The hygiene here is terrible, and tuberculosis is rampant,” Fr Arnold says. “Many of the markets near settlements are particularly dirty.”

Sadly, many of the diseases that the team treat are preventable. Through

The team still faces considerable challenges, one of them being the PNG government‘s failure to organise mass screenings of school children. Such circumstances only make the team’s work harder, as they don’t have the resources to regularly visit certain communities.

Fr Arnold and his colleagues do, however, remain optimistic.

“We’re very grateful for the generous support we’ve received and, by continuing our work, we’re confident that God’s grace will reach everyone in our community.”

The essential child health record book

From one community to another

MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine

A brighter future for Junior

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PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Sharing the Lord's Love and Compassion Catholic Mission supports the training of priests, brothers and sisters throughout the world, so they can follow their calling. These men and women play an essential role in establishing a network of trust and love with local communities, which is particularly essential in many developing countries where sharing the Gospel and the Catholic faith is scarce, such as in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

With more than a thousand tribes across PNG, conflicts over such things as land claims and religious differences continue to cause widespread grief.

The Catholic Church and local priests play an important part in reducing the hostility and animosity between the tribes. As respected leaders of the community, the priests act as mediators and encourage harmony and reconciliation.

One future PNG priest supported by Catholic Mission is Elias Zambria— a 26 year old seminarian from the Mendi diocese in the southern part of PNG. Like many of his fellow seminarians at the Holy Spirit Seminary in Port Moresby, Elias has experienced tribal conflict first-hand in his home village.

He knows the important role the Catholic Church is playing in reducing tribal conflict throughout PNG, as well as the crucial work of the Church in areas such as evangelisation and building schools and hospitals.

Elias first experienced his call to priesthood when he was just sixteen years old. However, after finishing school, he started working as an autoelectrician, and slowly drifted away from his once strong faith. With the help and guidance of his grandmother, Elias returned to the Church and decided to follow his calling. He is now in his second year of study and is aspiring to become a seminary lecturer, so that he can help others on their journey to priesthood.

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MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine

Work with Church Leaders

Elias, guiding the next generation

In preparation for priesthood, Elias and his fellow seminarians are already reaching out to the people of PNG, offering not only spiritual support, but also practical support. Every week, Elias helps the Canossian Sisters provide basic health care to people on the outskirts of Port Moresby who, because of their extreme poverty, are unable to afford the high fees in the city hospitals.

Elias and his brothers are assigned to different areas and have different responsibilities, such as leading prayer, providing health education and

Elias, heeding His call

medication, distributing nutritious food and weighing patients. Priority is given to children who are often sick with coughs, influenza, malaria, diarrhoea, headaches, fever or sores.

Elias really enjoys the pastoral work; for him it is a unique opportunity to meet the people, help them and be with them. “It prepares and equips me with practical experiences to be an effective pastoral worker as a priest in the future universal Church of Christ,” he says. “It helps me to know how best to work with people who are poor

and underprivileged by reaching out to them with the help of the Lord and showing his love and compassion.”

He thanks those who have helped him fulfil his calling. ”Our Church is still young and your donations really help us… when we receive donations we feel someone is responsible in terms of faith and existence… what you are contributing is some encouragement.

I have to reach out to the people and experience God’s love in the heart of the people. Loving God is loving the people.”

Our Church is still young and your donations really help us... when we receive donations we feel someone is responsible in terms of faith and existence... what you are contributing is some encouragement.

Elias, providing practical and pastoral assistance

MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine

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Rudi Towiro Photography

End Child Detention He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me." Mark 9:36-37 The issues surrounding refugee detention are complex and divisive and have plagued our country for over a decade. Many convincing arguments are used by both sides to drive home their point. Whatever our political views, as Christians our task is clearly spelt out. In the end, Jesus’s simple, beautiful words direct us to what we are called to do. Keeping children in detention clearly violates this call.

Catholic Mission has joined other agencies to form the Australian Coalition to End Immigration Detention of Children, which includes the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office, the Australian Young Christian Students (AYCS), ChilOut, Catholic Religious Australia, the International Detention Coalition PAGE 12

and UnitingJustice Australia. This initiative has the support of the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council and the clear objective of ending child detention.

experience say that this is an unusually positive and swift response. Now all major parties agree child detention should stop, but that is not happening in reality.

By drawing this coalition together, Catholic Mission is responding to Jesus’s call and our formal role to assist the neediest children in every country.

“Everyone can get involved by signing an online petition or recording a video message and uploading it to the End Child Detention Australia's website,” said Mai Mitsumori-Miller, the Coalition’s representative from AYCS.

An important part of the group's approach has been to support members of AYCS as spokespeople for the campaign—young people working for young people. They are lobbying politicians on this issue and are attending interviews with politicians from all parties. The interest from politicians has been substantial, and many in the group with lobbying

Schools can also participate in the ‘Detention 4 Detention’ initiative, which involves students taking a voluntary lunchtime detention as an act of solidarity with children who are in detention centres. According to Ms Mitsumori-Miller, the initiative’s popularity is spreading like wildfire.

MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine

“Schools have responded so well to ‘take a detention’ that ten schools in Brisbane held a day of action on May 2, which resulted in 3 000 students participating. Schools in Sydney, Wollongong, Adelaide and Perth have also ‘taken a detention’ and many more are planned. While most of the participating schools are Catholic,

In the end, Jesus’s simple, beautiful words direct us to what we are called to do.

Keeping children in detention clearly violates this call.

Uniting Church or Anglican, a number of public schools have also signed up.”

The Coalition to End Child Detention has prepared a ‘Detention 4 Detention’ resource that helps schools to run the event. This, along with other information, can be found on the Coalition’s website: www.endchilddetentionoz.com

Sister Anne Higgins who works with children in detention shares a story: “The claims that immigration detention for any lengthy period (even three to six months) often leads to mental illness are well documented. Especially vulnerable are victims of torture and under-age asylum seekers. One story will illustrate the point.

Miriam (not her real name), a twelve year old Middle-Eastern girl, arrived at an immigration detention facility with her parents and younger sister. She was an attractive, bright-eyed child relieved to be safe from the danger faced in her country of origin and eager to learn English and all she could about this new country.

She was a friendly, outgoing child full of hope for the future. The family expected to be in detention a little while by which they understood three to four weeks. By the end of this time the parents (apart from an on arrival interview) had had no follow-up interview. They did not know what was happening. After months, they were finally interviewed and refused with the assessment that their story was not believable.

Miriam knew what dangers they had faced in their country of birth and knew they were telling the truth.

Despair was growing in her sensitive young heart; she was showing clear signs of psychological distress.

Another month passed and she was suicidal. I recall coming to visit her family one morning and finding Miriam was seeking to self-harm. Her parents were powerless; they could not change the situation. The local guards also did not know what to do. They allowed me to take the child out of the compound and, still within the enclosed area, walk with her around admin buildings and other areas where there were a few gardens until she could get some sense of not being confined. Later after the family's case was refused by a Refugee Review Tribunal this young girl did make a serious attempt to take her life. Incidentally, the Reviewer based the negative conclusion on incorrect information about the country from which they had come.

As the child’s life was now in danger from her situation, the doctor attending the facility placed her in hospital and because of her fragile condition refused to release her from hospital to be returned to the detention centre which had caused her illness. Bright-eyed, engaging Miriam had now become a sad, listless child.

The family were transferred to a capital city in another state where it was again necessary to hospitalise Miriam. After many more months the family were eventually accepted but severe damage had already been done to this young person and to her family. There are many more such cases.”

Australia we can do better, and we must do better.

MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine

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MONGOLIA

Coming Soon, 2013 World Mission Appeal

For this year’s World Mission Month, which is celebrated in October, Catholic Mission will focus on the inspirational work of the emerging Catholic Church in Mongolia.

After decades of struggling in a communist ruled country, a country where the people were robbed of their basic human rights, including their religious freedom, it is only recently that the people of Mongolia —the Catholic Church’s newest frontier—have had the opportunity to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ.

This World Mission Month we are invited by Pope Francis to live out and witness our faith, to proclaim the Gospel to those who do not yet know the Good News of Jesus Christ, including the people of the young Church of Mongolia and other emerging churches across the world.

True to his faith and his mission, Bishop Wenceslao Padilla, a former missionary priest from the congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and now the first and only Bishop of Mongolia, arrived in

Mongolia with two fellow priests just over twenty years ago, to build the Catholic Church and build the Kingdom of God on earth.

By proclaiming and sharing their faith through spiritual and practical outreach, including education, medical care and vocational skill training programs, the first missionaries slowly built the Mongolian Catholic Church in this non-Christian country where generations had never before heard about Jesus Christ.

In this year’s appeal, we invite you to reach out and help the people of Mongolia to build their Church— the youngest Catholic Church in the world. By being true disciples of Christ, we can grow the Kingdom of God in Mongolia and in the most remote areas all across the world.

Please look out for the appeal this World Mission Month!

Bishop Wenceslao Padilla and young friends

A ger (a traditional Mongolian home) overlooking the capital city—Ulan Bator PAGE 14

MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine

‘Sock it’ to Poverty!

Catholic Mission has launched an exciting new initiative called ‘Socktober’ for schools and workplaces to engage in advocacy, formation and fundraising activities during World Mission Month in October, or throughout the year.

Taking its name from the Australian expression ‘Sock it to…’, which means to punch or strike out at something, each year Socktober will focus on a social issue related to children living in poverty, such as child labour, hopelessness or HIV/AIDS. This year’s ‘Sock it homelessness in Mongolia’ campaign will focus on children who were homeless, but who now have a safe and loving home at the Verbist Children’s Care Centre, run by Missionaries of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, in Mongolia’s capital city, Ulan Bator. With the extreme Mongolian winter seeing temperatures drop below forty degrees Celsius, instead of living ‘on the streets,’ those who are homeless live ‘under the streets’—huddled up next to the city’s underground hot water pipes to try to keep warm. Thankfully, after the fall of communism twenty years ago, Catholic missionaries were allowed to enter the country to reach out and help the children who were vulnerable.

Mongolian kids going crazy for Sally and Sockrates

Some of the formation or advocacy initiatives your school can engage in for Socktober this year include: • Put on a sock puppet show, with a focus on a story from the Bible or an issue of social justice • Run a Socktober liturgy or Mass • Socks need to be washed— create a ‘prayer line’ at your school (a portable clothes line showing socks with prayer points and other spiritual enrichment)

Socktober mascots, Sockrates and Sally (pictured), have travelled to developing countries all around the world, including Mongolia, India, Cambodia, Myanmar and Papua New Guinea, with the children going crazy for them!

Some ideas for Socktober fundraising activities in your school or workplace include: • Hold a ‘crazy sock day’, where students will be encouraged to wear crazy socks for a gold coin donation • A ‘rock your socks off’ dance party/disco • ‘Pass the sock around’ for people to put their donation in, rather than a hat!

Local Diocesan Directors will be distributing Socktober resources to all schools throughout the country including fantastic money boxes, posters, stickers and fundraising and formation resources.

MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine

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Become a Children’s Mission Partner and support Catholic Mission’s work with children on an ongoing basis The stories below are real examples of the projects and children who have been supported through our Children’s Mission Partners program.

Visit www.childrensmission.org.au to learn more about these stories.

Zambia

India Vandoosha was sold to be a domestic worker at just five years old. Shorti was kidnapped as a baby to work as a beggar at a train station. Both were rescued by Sister Clara and are now living at the Marialaya children's home in Chennai and are healthy and happy.

At seven years of age, when the Catholic Sisters first met him, Kasongo was severely malnourished, HIV positive and just holding on to life.

Today sixteen year old Kasongo is healthy and can stand in front of a group of young people in his village, and speak to raise awareness of the causes, treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS.

Examples of how your monthly donation can help children.

$29

$33

your monthly donation could provide one nutritious meal per day for twenty-six children at the communal kitchen of Santa Rita, Las Malvinas, Peru—this is often their only meal of the day.

I would love to become a monthly Children’s Mission Partner and give life to thousands of children!

I would love to become a Children’s Mission Partner with a monthly gift of: $29 per month $33 per month $57 per month My choice of:

$

Supporter No

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Please tick here for a tax deductible receipt

per month

I cannot give a monthly gift, but I would love to donate a one-off gift of:

your monthly donation could provide one girl, who has been rescued from child labour in India, with food, clothes, toiletries and a safe haven to live for one month at the Marialaya children’s home.

✄

YES!

$57

your monthly donation could provide school supplies and uniforms for six children in Zambia, so they can attend school and receive the vital education they need to break the cycle of poverty.

$

Return your completed form to: PO Box 1668, North Sydney NSW 2059 PAGE I

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(An authorisation form will be sent to you – For regular donations only please)

Donations will be deducted automatically each month. An annual receipt will be issued.

Cancellations are to be received in writing at least 7 days prior to your next payment

ABN 52 945 927 066 You can call toll free 1800 257 296 or visit www.childrensmission.org.au MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine