Mission Office

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Resources	Books	Videos	Links	Why Mission Education?

What can the Mission Office offer you for Mission Education Programming?

A LOT!

Who is Mission Education Programming for?

Mission Education is an important aspect of all levels of our Catholic faith formation. This means EVERYONE needs it, including:

• kids
• teens
• adults
• students
• parents
• parishioners
• community members - in both Church and secular groups
• parish staff
• school staff
• ministers

What can this programming include?

Mission Education can include a large variety of things, such as:

• Bringing in a speaker(s)
• Special Liturgies and prayer services
• Service Projects
• Partnering with other schools/parishes/groups in the world
• Experiencing cultural meals, dances, games, etc.
• Bringing in one of our foreign missioners from Kenya, Venezuela, or elsewhere
• Utilizing curriculum and resource materials available that deal with global or mission issues
• Including a peace and justice or global awareness unit in your curriculum
• Forming a social concerns committee, parish mission group, or other way of being globally and justice-conscious in your parish or school decision making and activities

Mission Education programming often easily fits into your exiting parish or school programming and events. Mission education relates to nearly every subject and area of parish life, such as:

• Faith Formation
• Religious Education
• Liturgy
• Social concerns
• Service Learning
• Vocations
• Community life
• Geography
• Social Studies
• Political Science
• Composition
• World History
• Science and the Environment
• Current Events
• Music and art

Why do we include Mission Education in our parish and school programming?

Our Catholic Church proclaims a Triune GOD - a relational GOD. Created in the image of our GOD, we recognize that we are called daily to live in relationships - giving and receiving from one another - not only within our families or local communities but throughout the world as well. Our call to Mission stems from our Baptismal Call and is what it means to be Church.

The United States Bishops have recently published the document, Teaching the Spirit of Mission Ad Gentes: Continuing Pentecost Today. This document reiterates the importance of mission education throughout our US Dioceses, and calls forth all those in educational ministries to help those with whom they minister to understand the important call each of us has for being a part of Mission in our world.

Some of the Bishops' thoughts as expressed in this document include:

• "In order to strengthen this mission effort, we address this letter particularly to all those who fulfill the special role of teaching and forming the Catholics in our dioceses and eparchies. We are enormously grateful for the devotion and skill with which Catholics in the teaching ministry lead the way:
  • Catechists
  • Directors of religious education
  • Priests, religious, and deacons
  • Adult education directors
  • Youth and young adult ministers
  • Campus ministers
  • Teachers and administrators in Catholic schools and institutes of higher education
  • Seminary professors and instructors
  • Mission office directors
• "We call on everyone with teaching roles to guide the faithful towards a renewed fervor in spreading the Good News by witness and word.” (3)
• "Pope John Paul II thus reminded us all of something we know to be true: ad gentes mission not only strengthens mission abroad, it also increases our fervor for the faith at home.” (4)
• "[The late] Pope John Paul II described this in Redemptoris Missio: 'the ultimate purpose of mission is to enable people to share in the communion which exists between the Father and the Son' (no. 23)." (6)
• "Mission is an issue of faith, an accurate indicator of our faith in Christ and His love for us." (8)
• “The best Christian testimony is love for others.” (11)
• “The Holy Spirit has given to those responsible for the formation of the disciples of this age a special grace to enlighten the minds of others.  It is our hope that these minds will join more enthusiastically in our mission to the nations.” (11)
• "Mission education must take place both in the family and in the parish. It is in the family that true Christian minds are first formed, and in the parish that families grow in faith." (12)
• “We appeal to all educators to help give Catholics a better understanding of the task and demands of mission today.  Theological studies should include a strong missionary emphasis…Authors of catechetical texts should highlight the missionary responsibility of every Christian so that young people may be educatred from an early age in this essential aspect of the Church’s life” (To the Ends of the Earth, #70).  (13)

How do we plan Mission Education Programming?

Incorporating Mission Education into your programming is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

1. Look at your parish, school or group's purpose and goals, and find ways in which mission, global, peace and justice-awareness and activities would help you meet them.

2. Look at your calendar, curriculum and plans, and find ways in which different mission-focused speakers or activities could fit in naturally, or times when additional events may enhance your existing programming.

3. Contact the Mission Office to share your ideas and request help fulfilling your mission education programming needs.

What is the Speakers Bureau?

The Diocesan Speakers' Bureau hopes to foster a greater appreciation of our faith's global dimensions.

Composed of a variety of volunteer speakers, the Speakers Bureau can help with many different topics, countries, and activities. Host a speaker in conjunction with a service project or an intensive global awareness program with a series of on-going weekly lessons, music, songs, videos, cultural education, and ethnic foods given throughout a semester or school year.

What other Resources can the Mission Office provide?

In addition to the Speakers Bureau, the St. Cloud Mission Office offers wonderful mission resources, reflections, videos, cultural items, mission posters, Liturgy planning, African proverbs, and cultural materials to suppliment and promote mission awareness.

There are also other mission education resources available to you outside of our office; learn more about what is available.