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 Catholic Missions In Canada
E-Newsletter
Volume 2, Issue 6: June 2010 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Greetings!
No one does it all now
By our baptism, we all have a share in the 'priestly mission'
By FR. PHILIP KENNEDY, PRESIDENT
Once or twice a year I have the opportunity to speak with older Oblate priests and diocesan missionary priests about what the missions were like fifty or sixty years ago. I need to keep in mind, during these discussions, that the priest usually did just about everything that needed to be done to evangelize and foster the faith in distant mission centres.
There were heroic groups of religious women who operated clinics and hospitals in remote areas, under straitened circumstances, and sometimes schools and hospices. But the greater part of catechizing and counselling, and preparation for the sacraments, and the ministry of grieving and support, and day-to-day moral guidance, then celebration of Holy Mass, was done by the priest. All these tasks would have been conducted in addition to the enormous amount of time the priest had to devote to just surviving and the upkeep of his dwelling, and travel to faraway places to perform the same ministry in a different locale. Read more....
(Rev.) Philip Kennedy
President
Catholic Missions In Canada |
