Mission Sunday

      Last Sunday was Missions Sunday in the Roman Catholic Church.  I was reminded of that this morning because the Priest who said Mass was one of the Chaplains at St. Francis Hospital.  There are several there from various parts of Africa.
      When the first Spanish and French explorers to America came to look into this 'passage' to India or China  -  depending on what group was arriving -  they brought  with them Catholic Priests, who looked after the souls of the seaman on the journey but who also planned to bring Christianity to any Native people they found here.  A lot of those early Missionaries lost their lives.  They were telling the indigenous tribes that the rites they had practiced  for centuries were wrong and that they were bringing a better Way to them.    I don't feel that there are any bad guys in this scenario, both groups felt they were right in their beliefs. 
       When the Peoria Diocese was settled, most of the early Priests were Irish.  Archbishop Myers told me one time that the first two Catholic Bishops for our Diocese were Irish -  Spalding and Dunne - and when the Pope named  Archbishop Schlarman, a German from Southern Illinois as the third Bishop, all of those sons of Erin were very unhappy until Schlarman honored them by making them Monsignors, and they came to accept him. 
       For a lot of years, Priests from America traveled to Africa, China and other countries to convert those peoples.  But now because we hardly have enough Priests to cover the Parishes here in the U.S., we have become a Mission destination.  Priests from the Phillipines, Africa and Viet Nam have come here to fill in as needed.  Some of these Missionaries are even going to Ireland.  What goes around comes around!!
    
     When we were growing up and attending St. Patricks on the Southside, we did several things to help the Missions.  Every year about this time, we all received Holy Childhood Stickers to sell door to door.  There were some really great prizes to those who sold the most.  By the time my parents - they discouraged us going door to door - bought a dollars worth from all of us, about all we received as a prize was a glow in the dark Jesus statue.  Vern, however, one year sold enough to earn a little plaster of paris Altar.  For several years after we married, it was part of our Christmas decorations.
      All throughout the year, we contributed our pennies and nickels to a Pagan Baby Fund.  When five dollars was collected, our class got to give a name to some little child overseas and the class got a certificate of recognition.  It was a really big deal.
      Before Mary and Gregg  were married, his parents, Herb and Pat and Vern and I met with Father Hughes at the rectory to sign papers saying we knew of no reason why they shouldn't marry.  When Father asked if Gregg was baptized, Pat stated  that shortly after he was born, they had moved and just never had him Baptized -  although older brother, Gary, had been.    Vern couldn't let the comment go by, he said:  "When I was a kid, I used to buy pagan babies but I never thought one of my daughters would marry one!!"
 
      The Catholic Church has led the way in starting hospitals and schools here in America and around the world.   It is a rich heritage that we are proud of.  Nowadays when there arn't as many Priests and Religious to be Missionaries it is up to us to evangelize wherever we go.  There's an old quote:  "Preach the Gospel always, whenever necessary,  use words"