“Help me to Believe, Help me to Live” is the slogan for World Mission Sunday which will be organised in over 130 countries on Sunday 19th October 2008.
Last year, with the slogan chosen for World Mission Sunday, we wanted to make every baptised aware, of his true obligation to “Be part of our Mission”, which is the mission of the Church.
The slogan we have chosen this year is a continuation of what we started last year. If we understand that we are part of this mission, than we are open to the cry of so many millions of people, who have no faith, no hope of survival – “Help me to Believe, Help me to Live”.
Today, the Catholic Church is aware that one cannot be forced to believe, as this has to be a free choice of each individual, however, we as missionaries, through our actions, can be witnesses of Christ through our values of love, peace, justice and human dignity. Through our faith we give hope to those whose life has no meaning or direction and this is our answer to “Help me to Believe”.
On the other hand, it is natural, that you cannot preach and teach, but ignore the reality of the millions of people who continuously strive to survive their immense poverty, so through our material help, we answer to the cry of “Help me to Live”.
As we do every year, during the month of October and on World Mission Sunday, we, as the Catholic Church's foremost mission support agency, who raise awareness and funds for its missionary and pastoral work worldwide, will be doing our strongest appeal to the people of Malta and Gozo, to be generous and to help us help the missionary regions with most needs.
In this year dedicated to St. Paul, we shall keep in mind what St. Paul – one of the pioneer missionaries of the church, said “If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it” 1 Cor 9, 16. We Maltese are proud, that St. Paul had come to Malta, and brought with him our faith, so now it is time for us to follow his footsteps and be part of this Mission.
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