The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-03-06

MlSSlOIl 0uklQdy Will NC ODoSI Ft'tA
by Waterbury Catholics this Sun
day, and collections will be taken ur
for the benefit of the Church's mis-
sion endeavors. Special significance
is attached to the observance this
year because Of the fact that large
part of the money raised will go to
aid Catholic missionaries now serv-
ing in the war zones in the Orient.
Most Reverend Maurice F. Nc
Auliffe, Bishop of Hartford, has
sent the following letter on Mission
Sunday to all pastors in the diocese:
Dear Father:
The mission of the Church Is
to all people and to the end OF
time. The commission to teach all
nations was given by the Incarnate
son of God, Jesus Christ. He died
for all men Of all times and the
message of His life was to be ex-
tended to the ends Of the earth.
Going, therefore, teach we all ma
tons baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and
Of the Holy Ghost, teaching them
to observe all things whatsoever
have commanded you and behold
am with you all days even to
the contamination of the world"
Again on the morning Of His AS
cension He declared that they were
witnesses of Him "in Jerusalem
and in all Judea and Samaria and
even to the uttermost parts of the
world" The Holy Ghost whom He
sent to them would guide and
strengthen them in this Divine
Apostolate.
The doctrine and the sacraments
formed the content OF their mis-
sion. For nineteen hundred years
the Church has been true to the
mandate of her Founder. She has
reached out to all peoples and
brought them the light OF truth
and the strength Of grace. They
walk in the way of light and truth
and rejoice in the presence Of the
living Christ. Every age has
chapter Of her work among the
nations of the earth. She recoiled
before no difficulty, weakened be-
fore no threat but has accom-
plished her mission with the for
titude which springs alone from
God. The Apostles and martyrs
sealed their faith on their work
with their own blood. They, under
the power of Christ and the
strength Of the Holy Ghost, laid
the foundations OF this great
Church which we love.
In every age men and women
have heard her call and responded
with their lives. 1t Is the triumph
OF the spirit over matter, OF the
divine over the human, Of heaven
over earth, of Christ over the
sinister influences Of evil. There is
no more Respondent page in the
history Of Mother Church than
that Of her missionary activities.
Every appeal for material help
has received generous response.
NO matter how great their destitu-
ton or poverty, her children have
filled the Golfers for her mission
airy labors.
Today the Church faces a great
crisis OF the nations Of the world
with calm, conscious conviction of
victory for her teaching through
the jealous labors Of the mission
airy over the desolation of the
world. The Church, however, suf-
fers in her missionary activities
from the frigntfuflness OF war. En-
tire provinces won by the labors
OF her devoted sons and daueh-
tiers are wiped out. Her mission
aries have not abandoned their
posts but have made supreme eff.
forts to care for the wounded, the
SICK and the dying Of all the arm
les. They have fed them, given
them to drink and nursed them
back to health. Never did the
pagarls feel the sweetness Of life
more fully than at the hands of
the courageous missionary and
the gentle nun. Amid all the hor-
r0rs Of war ana the darkness Of
the night in warning countries.
there has been no more beauti-
ful and consoling picture than
that drawn by these faithful sery-
ants Of God.
Who will support them and pro-
vide means for the care OF these
agoniztng peoples and the hordes
Of lepers appealing for material
help? Our answer Is the Church
IN AmericaI Those who bore this
burden for centuries suffer them
selves from want, famine and
disease. We must answer the cilaI-
lerge Of the hour and give gen.
erOilslv IN tina cause ~ a.. "a. 4,