This weekend the Catholic Church celebrates the lives and the inspirational mission of the Apostles Peter and Paul. St. Peter, as the first Pope, was “The Rock” upon which our Church was organized and established. St. Peter provided a framework of what the practice of the faith would look like by taking our Judaic roots and structuring the liturgy around the life and teachings of Jesus through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It was St. Peter, who recognizing that service was an integral aspect of a follower of Jesus, established the ministry of Deacons.
St. Paul, at first a persecutor of the faith and the faithful, was led to the faith through a miraculous healing from blindness that brought about his conversion. St. Paul banded together with a group of missionaries who had the advantage of traveling with Jesus and receiving his teachings on a firsthand basis. St. Paul and his companions made a series of missionary trips around the Mediterranean Sea to evangelize. In these evangelization missions, St. Paul would build upon the local customs, traditions, and religious practices of a region and then highlight how these rituals and practices would be more meaningful and salvific if united with Christ.
In the spirit of missionary evangelization, we welcome this weekend Father Brien Gomes of the Diocese of Sylhet in Bangladesh who will speak at all the Masses on behalf of the Pontifical Mission Societies. The Pontifical Mission Societies globally support over one thousand dioceses.
The Pontifical Mission Societies informs us that the Diocese of Sylhet is a mission land where the Spirit of God moves silently among indigenous peoples, marginalized families, and faith-seeking souls. As we continue with the Jubilee of Hope celebration, we renew our call to journey together as a Synodal Church, united in love, solidarity, and mission. In the spirit of Synodality – walking together, listening to each other, and discerning God’s will – we embrace the urgent call to bring healing, justice, and the Good News to the most vulnerable. As Pilgrims of Hope, we are committed to building a Church that reflects God’s mercy through concrete service. Today, we appeal to your generous heart to support five key priorities for the development and sustainability of the Sylhet Diocese.
- Center for Children with Disabilities: Many children with disabilities suffer in silence due to stigma, poverty, and the lack of specialized services. We envision establishing a Disability Center that will offer education, therapy, spiritual care, and family support – upholding their dignity as beloved children of God and enabling them to thrive.
- Health Centers for Mothers and Children: Our tea garden and remote communities lack access to basic health services. Malnutrition, unsafe childbirth, and preventable diseases take a tragic toll on lives. We seek to develop maternal and child health centers that will offer prenatal care, safe delivery, vaccinations, nutrition guidance, and health education – bringing life and hope to our mothers and children.
- Education for Orphans and Underprivileged Children: Many orphaned and impoverished children in Sylhet cannot access education. Inspired by the Gospel and the Jubilee Year’s call to renew lives, we aim to establish boarding and educational programs that offer not only academic learning but also spiritual, emotional, and social support – empowering children to become witnesses of hope and transformation.
- Food Relief During Natural Disasters: Our region is frequently struck by floods and storms that leave communities devastated. As a Church of accompaniment, we want to establish an emergency food support system and disaster relief fund to respond swiftly to crises – providing food, shelter, and compassion when it is needed most.
- Faith Formation and Evangelization: In this Jubilee Year, the call to deepen our faith and spread the Gospel is more urgent than ever. We are investing in faith formation programs, catechist training, retreats, sacramental preparation, and Small Christian Communities to ensure that the flame of faith continues to burn brightly in every village and family.
Every donation fuels education, care, therapy, and love. Your kindness will transform darkness into light, isolation into belonging, and despair into hope. Envelopes for the support of the Diocese of Sylhet and for the Pontifical Mission Societies can be found at the entrances of our Churches. Thank you for the kindness of your prayers and for your financial support. God bless you.