6th October 2013 - 27th Sunday in Ordinary time (Year C) - Mission Sunday (20th Oct) and an Interview with Fr Derek Leonard on mission

The team returns to normal service this week with being back in studio for our regular programme format. On this weeks programme we are joined by Fr Derek Leonard who comes to tell us about his service on the missions in Peru as part of the Limerick-Peru mission with the Society of St James. We have our regular reflection on the Sunday gospel, our liturgical odds and ends and some local notices.
 
This weeks programme is available to listen to HERE.
 
Fr Derek Leonards interview on the programme is excerpted and available HERE.
 
October - The Month of the Missions
 


The story behind the poster

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 20th October in 2013.
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 2012, Irish Catholics contributed more than €2 million. Over the last decade, Ireland has ranked seventh in the world in the total contribution to the missions. 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 2013 is "Growing in Faith". A very appropriate theme as we come to the end of the Year of Faith and welcome the first encyclical of Pope Francis published in July 2013 and entitled "Light of Faith".

On Mission Sunday, in a special way, we celebrate the work our c. 1,600 Irish born 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

Popes message for Mission Sunday

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The call to mission is the fundamental to the understanding of the the church. Historically Irish people went on the missions overseas but now the focus is on what we as community can do here in Ireland but we are also asked on Mission Sunday each year to continue to support the young churches overseas who are growing and developing but still need our support.

Fr Derek tells us a bit about his work in Peru working with the Society of St James in a parish of 100,000 people served by 11 churches amongst those on the margins of society yet with the realisation that God was with them in their poverty.

Mission Sunday is a reminder to us that it is not enough to talk about God's love but also to give concrete actions to that love

You can see pictures/blog on Limerick-Peru mission and previous blog posts from SS102fm here and here

Gospel - Luke 17:5-10

"The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" And the Lord said, "If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this sycamine tree, `Be rooted up, and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.

"Will any one of you, who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep, say to him when he has come in from the field, `Come at once and sit down at table'? Will he not rather say to him, `Prepare supper for me, and gird yourself and serve me, till I eat and drink; and afterward you shall eat and drink'? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that is commanded you, say, `We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'"

Reflections on this weeks gospel:

Word on Fire
English Dominicans
Centre for Liturgy
Sunday Reflections
Blue Eyed Ennis
The Text this week

Liturgical odds and ends

Liturgy of the Hours - Psalter Week 3, 27th Week in Ordinary time

Weekday Cycle of Mass Readings - Cycle 1

Saints of the Week

October 7th - Our Lady of the Rosary
October 8th - St Pelagia
October 9th - Bl John Henry Newman
October 10th - St Francis Borgia
October 11th - St Canice
also St Damien of Molokai
October 12th - St Wilfrid