20 Oct 2012

21st October 2012 - Mission Sunday - Interview with Fr John Guiney SJ

This week on the programme we are joined by Fr John Guiney SJ who reflects with us on the meaning of mission as we celebrate Mission Sunday. We have our regular prayer space as well as some local notices and reminders and our saints of the week.

This week’s podcast is available HERE.

Mission Sunday - Interview with Fr John Guiney SJ
 
On this week’s programme we have an interview with Fr John Guiney SJ who is from west Limerick and has worked on the missions with the Society of Jesus (the Jesuit's) for over 25 years all around East Africa and parts of south east Asia including a period of time as the director of the Jesuit Refugee Service in East Africa. He is now the director of the Irish Jesuit Missions office and he joins us this week to reflect on his experience as a missionary and what it means for all of us to be missionary today as this Sunday is Mission Sunday.




From World Missions Ireland (aka the Pontifical Missionary Societies):

World Mission Sunday takes place on the second last Sunday of October each year. October is the traditional month of universal mission since 1926. Mission Sunday will be celebrated on the 21st October in 2012. The collection for World Mission Sunday is organised by the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, founded by Pauline Jaricot 190 years ago, and it is celebrated by every Church throughout the world, including the poorest. World Mission Sunday provides Catholics with the opportunity to unite with their missionary sisters and brothers, and to recommit themselves to the Church's missionary activity, through prayer, sacrifice and financial contribution. Funds raised are used to assist Young Churches and missionaries in helping communities in need, both spiritually and materially.

 
In October 2011, Irish Catholics contributed more than €2 million. The Mission Sunday collection is made available, in its entirety, to be distributed to as many as 1,100 young Churches who are supported by the generosity of Churches that are better off. Contributions will be used to build simple mission churches, to educate seminarians and to assist in the formation of catechists and lay leaders. The Mission Sunday gift will also be used for the building of health clinics for children, emergency aid in times of war or natural disaster and to assist missionaries in their efforts to care for refugees.
 
The theme for World Mission Sunday in Ireland this year is Growing in Communion. On Mission Sunday, in a special way, we celebrate the work our 1,700 missionaries and all missionaries throughout the world. We thank God for them, for all who support them in our own country and for our growing in communion with them, the communities with whom they work and with one another
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Other reflections on mission and Mission Sunday:

• Pope Benedict XVI message for Mission Sunday 2012 - "Called to radiate the Word of truth"

• A summary of Pope Benedict XVI's message from Vatican Radio

• The explanation of the Irish Mission Sunday poster

• Growing in Communion


From the SacredSpace 102fm archives:

• Called to Mission – A personal reflection on the experience of mission and missionary priests

• From Knockpatrick to Kiyinda - A Last Letter from Mityana


Gospel - Mark 10:35-45


Jesus calls us to a new insight about leadership this Sunday. He is not interested in leadership that is based on titles, roles or power. Jesus speaks of servant leadership as a leadership that recognises itself as at the service of the people; a leadershop that reflects and acts for the good of all the people. Servant leaders recognise how small they really are.

This is not merely a statement of what those in leadership roles should do. Its a challenge to all Christians to consider how we lead, how we speak about leadership, how we support and challenge our leaders.

- What do we stand for in our family, work, and commuity. Where are we leading others, and to whom?

- Where is our conversation about leadership leading us? Is it empowering for ourselves and others, or are we - in our opinions and actions - lording it over people that we may never even have met?

- How honest are we with our leaders? Are we willing to speak kindly and humbly together, to be the change we wish to see?

We are all called to servant leadership - right now, right here. May God give us the grace to recognise where we need to change, the courage to challenge and lead where that is needed and the wisdom to know Gods plan in all we do.

“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” Abraham Lincoln .

Reflections on this weeks gospel:

Liturgical Odds and Ends

Divine Office - Week 1


Saints of the Week

October 22nd - Bl John Paul II
October 23rd - St John of Capistrano
October 24th - St Anthony Claret
October 25th - Bl Thaddeus McCarthy
October 26th - St Amandus of Strasbourg
October 27th - St Otteran (patron of Waterford)
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