World Mission Sunday Mass has multicultural flavor

St. Joseph parishioners Jennie Le, from left, Anna Le and Celina Le of Indianapolis hold hands for the Lord’s Prayer during the archdiocesan World Mission Sunday Mass on Oct. 19 at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis. They participate in the Vietnamese Apostolate at St. Joseph Parish in the Indianapolis West Deanery. (Photo by Mary Ann Wyand)

By Mary Ann Wyand

Many countries. Many cultures. One faith.

Catholics from Vietnam, Myanmar, India, the Philippines, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, France, Mexico and the United States offered prayers of thanksgiving for the evangelizing efforts of missionaries abroad and in Indiana during the archdiocesan World Mission Sunday Mass on Oct. 19 at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis.

Many people came to worship God dressed in colorful costumes from their homeland. During the liturgy, prayers were offered in Spanish, Burmese, French, Tagalog, Igbo and English.

Brightly colored banners symbolized the World Mission Rosary introduced by Archbishop Fulton Sheen in 1951. Green represented the forests and grasslands of Africa. Blue was a symbol of the ocean surrounding the Pacific islands. White was chosen for Europe, the Holy Father’s home continent. Red called to mind the fire of faith that brought missionaries to America. Yellow was a reminder of the morning light of the East for Asia.

Benedictine Father Julian Peters, administrator of SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral Parish, invited the gathering to “come together [in prayer] to celebrate many cultures—the diversity and breadth of the human experience—all made holy, all created in the image and likeness of God.” (See a photo gallery of this event)

In his welcoming remarks, Father Julian reminded the people that, “The Holy Spirit dwells within us—as we gather today on this World Mission Sunday—to renew us in faith [and] in our mission as disciples.”

During his homily, he noted that many Catholics grew up with the concept that the missionary work of the Church only happens in exotic places, and missionaries are brave souls who move to far away lands to proclaim the Gospel, teach people about God and show them how to pray.

Today, our global society is much more interconnected, he said, and our Church is much more in communion and communication with people in distant places.

“We … understand that the missionary work of the Church isn’t just … far away,” Father Julian said. “… A hundred years ago, … the United States was mission territory. We were the [recipients] of the riches of civilization, the material and spiritual riches of distant lands, who supported the preaching of the Gospel and the building of the Church in this country.”

Catholics must continue the mission of the Church, he said, by supporting missionaries abroad with prayers and donations as well as engaging in missionary work in our neighborhoods and communities.

“The commission, the challenge, of discipleship calls each one of us, in our own way, in our own place and situation, to teach children how to pray, to hand on our tradition of faith,” Father Julian said, “to break open God’s word by our own words and deeds and manner of life as disciples of Jesus.”

At the conclusion of the liturgy, Father Julian presented distinguished service awards on behalf of Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein to two longtime Cathedral Kitchen and Food Pantry volunteers.

St. Malachy parishioner Dolores Morley of Brownsburg and Bruce Schaller of Indianapolis were recognized for more than 10 years of volunteer service to the Cathedral Parish food ministry for homeless people in Indianapolis.

After the Mass, the recipients downplayed their gifts of time and talent to help the poor several mornings a week.

“It’s just doing a lot of cooking and a lot of serving and a lot of cleaning,” Morley said. “That’s the majority of it. It’s my privilege to serve my sisters and brothers in Christ. It’s wonderful.”

Schaller said the “guests” he serves at the Cathedral Kitchen may be homeless, but “they’re just like all of us.” †