Episode Transcript
Speaker 1 00:00:10 We're really grateful to have you back in another episode of our podcast, Big City Catholics, here with Bishop Robert Brennan, the Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn, and myself, Father Christopher Heu. Today we're joined by Father Thomas Ahern, who's the, uh, director of the Propagation of the Faith, recently appointed here in the diocese. We'll talk a little bit about World Mission Sunday and, and some of the new responsibilities that Father Tom has on his plate. But before we begin, we'll start with the prayer. In the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your spirit and they shall be created, and you shall be, you
Speaker 2 00:00:50 Shall renew the face of the
Speaker 1 00:00:51 Earth in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Bishop, you've been going back and forth between me and Deacon Kevin McCormick. I was a great podcast last week with him talking about grieving.
Speaker 2 00:01:03 Yeah. Talk about real time conversations. He was grieving the loss of his mother, but he did so with tremendous faith. And, and then on Thursday we had the funeral and he breached at the funeral. And again, in this family, what great faith as they commended their mother to the Lord. But yes, and we recognized that all of us at some point are walking that journey in our families.
Speaker 1 00:01:24 Yeah. And you know, at the very end of the podcast, you mentioned that you were sorry that you had so much to talk about that day, that you didn't get to talk about the Mets. And Deacon said, We've talked about enough suffering <laugh>.
Speaker 2 00:01:36 That's right.
Speaker 1 00:01:37 Sorry about that too.
Speaker 2 00:01:39 Sure. We
Speaker 1 00:01:39 Know you're a big that fan, so, but anyway, anyway, life goes on. What's been on your plate, Bishop? What's, what's going on here in the diocese?
Speaker 2 00:01:47 Well, you can imagine October brings a lot of activity, whether it be visiting parishes for confirmation. I had the chance this week to be at the Cathedral of St. James, part of their Jubilee celebration for, for the year. And we, we honored all of the religious congregations who have their US roots, you might say, here in this downtown Brooklyn area, whether it be directly through St. James or in that surrounding area. And we traced a little bit of our history and gave thanks to that, but also now rejoice in the fruits. We look at the great things that these congregations, a legacy that they've handed on to us to continue today. So that was Sunday. And then the other thing is I went to the, uh, Neocatechumenal Way. They had their gala dinner for their Rayor Mata seminary, and they, they must have had over 400 people there. Wow. And they do a great job. We'll be talking about Mission Sunday, but they do a great job when it comes to that sense of being on mission. They have a real consciousness about being on mission. And so it was really quite exciting to be part of that whole evening of celebration.
Speaker 1 00:02:56 Yeah. And also, I'm very notably, unfortunately, I wasn't able to, uh, be in attendance. I've gone to almost all of these previous masses, but I watched you on net TV as you celebrated the mass for hope and
Speaker 2 00:03:10 Healing. That's right.
Speaker 1 00:03:11 It seemed you had a beautiful message and it really was a, I hope, a prayerful experience for all those who are present.
Speaker 2 00:03:18 It really was. I was touched by the people who were there, which was a terribly, terribly rainy night. And just around that time is when the rain was at its peak. But many people came out, many of the priests joined, and you get the sense, you know, there are people there seeking hope and healing, but there were also a lot of people there to be that comfort to one another. Yeah. And in a sense, we all seek hope and healing, even those who have not suffered abuse, because we wanna be able to be healed to some of our own hardness of heart Sure. Be healed of that, to be able to be more effective in our own response to people who have experienced this horrible, horrible tragedy. Mm.
Speaker 1 00:03:56 I really commend you on that. Your homily was very direct with such beautiful, such heartfelt words. Well,
Speaker 2 00:04:03 Thank you. We spoke, of course, about the Parable of the Good Samaritan and that neighbor who did reach out in healing, and also in the sense the critique even of the religious leaders of that day. It's, it's that call that Jesus makes to us to say we all, all of us in, especially in leadership, have to examine our con regularly and let that examination of conscience always help us to grow, certainly in compassion and in vigilance and in response,
Speaker 1 00:04:30 World Mission Sunday is, is an incredible opportunity for us as a universal church to bring help and comfort to places in need. So Father Thomas, welcome. Thank you to the podcast.
Speaker 3 00:04:40 Thank you very much. Thank you, Bishop Brennan. Thank you, Father Heo.
Speaker 2 00:04:44 Thank you for being here. You know, but thank you. Even more so for accepting this responsibility. As many will know, uh, Father Charles Keeney had served in this role very faithfully. Yes, very passionately. I, when I first came, I had met Father Keen before. We have some mutual friends, and I've met him when I was in Rockville Center, but I was just struck by his zeal for the missions and his directness about it. He get, he gets right to the heart of the matter. We spoke during the year, and he was ready to retire. And after giving such faithful service, he wants to devote himself, continued work with the missions, but in conversation he recommended you father a Hern. And talking to others, there seemed to be a consensus forming about that. So I was very, very happy when you said yes to accepting this role.
Speaker 3 00:05:35 Thank you, Bishop. Yeah, I was, uh, Father Keeney. Charlie Keeney was my first pastor. Been friends with him since my first assignment in St. Leo's in Corona. So yes, he is very passionate about the missions. In particular. There's a special place in Africa That's right. That he's been connected to, uh, and with for years. He's brought groups over to visit this orphanage in Tanzania, run by this group of sisters, lovely sisters, St. Gemma Gagan sisters. He continues to help them and help others as well as in Africa. But also he's working closely with groups like Catholic Extension. That's right. Which helps on the home missions, really. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, he's also passed on to me the connection with Catholic Relief Services. So there's, you know, there's so many different groups helping. There's the propagation of the faith, of course, is the international association, but there's also mission territory in our own country.
Speaker 3 00:06:31 In fact, the first collection of the propagation of the Faith, which is 200 years old this year, and it's founders, Pauline Jericho, was Beatified in Leon, France in May, the first collection they made, a lot of it went to Louisiana because the propagation of the faith is to help young, new and poor diocese around the world. But of course, the di in Louisiana, it stretched from Louisiana or all the way up to Canada at that time. That's right. <laugh>. It was a very big diocese. You know, we've benefited, we think, you know, it just goes to other places, but we've benefited a lot from the propagation of the faith. So World Mission Sunday, just to connect with Father Chris's comment, you know, is a chance to publicly affirm or reaffirm or missionary commitment to the wider church. You know, that we are the fact, the theme of this year, as you will be my witnesses from Paule Francis. So, you know, the, the idea that we are all part of this missionary effort of the church in one way or another. And I think that's, when you're talking about the Neo cats, they do a wonderful job of evangelizing or catechizing propagating the faith in pretty rough areas and remote areas as well as so many other missionaries.
Speaker 2 00:07:43 Yes. Yeah. So that brings us in a sense to, with World Mission Sunday, I always focus in on two realities. So one of the things which is so very important is our conscious prayer and support for those who are in the mission field right here today. And missionaries from our own diocese. We have priests and religious who've are serving here now, who had been in the missions all over the world. We have people who are from this diocese who are serving in mission territories, in, in countries all around the world, and really doing some heroic work. I mean, you know, as you know, the state of the world is such that some missionaries are still even today in tremendous danger.
Speaker 3 00:08:30 Yes. Yeah. I mean, I think that's one of the benefits. We have our annual mission appeal, the summer mission appeals, Right. Where a missionary or representative of a missionary group visit each parish in the whole diocese. And very often they share stories of danger. I mean, lives are in danger, lives have been lost. One of the priests that I was working with from Nigeria, his assistant priest in northern Nigeria was murdered. Right. You know, trying to just, just to minister to his own people. And that's not uncommon in some parts of the world. In fact, there a wonderful group, Saint de Judo, I, Yes. Yeah. They have an annual prayer service for all those who are in a sense martyred throughout each year. Wow. And if you see the number, it's priest, sisters, religious brothers, and many, many, many lay people Wow. Who have been killed trying to share the faith. Right. So the really, we have a lot of heroes out there risking their lives. I mean, they are doing without, I mean, they don't have adequate food, clean water, forget about medicine, You know, and in addition to that, then danger in
Speaker 2 00:09:36 Danger, Right. Yeah. But let's go back to that. So part of what they do is they try to build up the societies in which they's serving. So That's right. Many mission projects involve infrastructure so that people can live with dignity and be in a position to, to hear the gospel That's right. And respond to it. So a lot of the material support we give to missionaries goes into these projects that help build up the communities.
Speaker 3 00:10:01 That's right. They'll have everything from, there are hundreds and hundreds of churches that are built or repaired or rebuilt, just so that there's a worship space for so many people that have nowhere else to, to worship. But also things like clean water projects, catechesis, seminaries. There were so many countries when you speak to the missionaries where there's a waiting list for the seminary. Yeah. And it's not because, you know, they, they need as many priests as possible, but they can't afford to train them all. So that's where the propagation of the faith and the saint to Peter, the Apostle Association comes in. Right. And then for the Children Missionary Childhood Association, So you have the different Pontifical mission societies really trying to build up and strengthen. The goal is what happened in Louisiana, that these young new diocese become self-sustaining. That's the goal. So propagation of the faith and world Mission Sunday helps different places in, in different years.
Speaker 3 00:11:02 It's so needed. I mean, I, I don't think we can overemphasize that because I visited one school in Haiti where a parish here in Brooklyn was helping them. Is helping them. They have no electricity, no restrooms, no bathroom. So the little children go out in the weeds, You know, it's kind of like, Yeah. And the, the food program is, that's their main meal for the day. They have one meal a day, and it happens at school. And that's what's being funded. So it's talking about people who are really living on the edge. You know, the teachers are not getting paid much at all, but they love the faith. They wanna share it with the children. So it's a Catholic school that's doing very well, but it needs help like so many other places around the world. And that's why the people of Brooklyn have been so generous. I mean, it, I'm sure you found that patient. Oh,
Speaker 2 00:11:49 Absolutely.
Speaker 3 00:11:49 The people here are just, I think because we are an immigrant diocese, they have, have a real sense of what's happening in other countries and, and how people are suffering everything from food insecurity to lack of any infrastructure, you know,
Speaker 2 00:12:04 Violence and,
Speaker 3 00:12:05 And violence all around.
Speaker 2 00:12:07 Yeah. We offer our material support, but in a sense, I, I often think of the missionaries are our arms and legs out in the field. They do the things that are important to us, that the gospel be shared to the nations, as in, in keeping with Jesus's command. We have the command of Jesus before his ascension. Um, Matthew puts it this way, you know, uh, go forth and proclaim the gospel to the end of the earth, Baptizing them, teaching them, and know that I am with you, even that's right. Until the end of the Earth. So we all have that impulse, but the collection, if you will, that's part of Mission Sunday. Obviously the That's right. The actual collection on Mission Sunday is part of the support, but it allows us to work through those missionaries to cooperate in their work. That's right. And along those lines, you mentioned, we do Mission Sunday and we take the collection for the propagation of faith. That's right. Which is sort of the infrastructure that supports the missionary work of the church throughout the world. But then during the summer, we have the different mission appeals. And those are very important because that's how we do have that share when we hear the stories and see the missionaries, or at least their representatives. And so we get that greater sense of cooperating with the work
Speaker 3 00:13:20 That's right. And connecting with know that I am with you. Right. In many instances, the only institution, so to speak, staying with the people is the church. Everyone else has left them. No one else can seem to help them. But the church remains as a presence, doing what it can, when it can. So the more we can help them be that presence, to give people hope in very, especially desperate situations. So it does, the summer mission goes to the particular mission that the parish is introduced to on that weekend. And, you know, various groups. We have so many, so many wonderful, uh, religious groups, religious orders, secular institutes, et cetera Cetera, who are working in all parts of the world to try to bring, you know, help everything from, There's a wonderful sister from this diocese working in Ecuador in a place called Damian House with, for leprosy, people with leprosy. So, I mean, you, you, you know, that type of thing. All these corners that we could easily forget about, but the missionaries are not forgetting about them.
Speaker 1 00:14:24 And, you know, for me, working in, in the parishes and every summer, seeing the incredible generous support of the parishioners Yeah. For World Mission Sunday. And also the Sunday appeal in the summer was always just, it was double what we would normally bring in on a, on a Sunday, because they felt that they were really helping this particular cause and whatever it may be. And, and it's that connection with the people, I think of the heroism of these missionaries. And even in, in modern day times, as you're saying, you know, how we think we're so protected here by living our faith, and perhaps we, we take what we have for granted. We take the protection of our, of our liberties for granted, and the ability to worship in a clean church, in a, you know, with all the accommodations that we would need. You know, And then there are modern day real saints that are going out there and going out of their comfort zones to proclaim the faith.
Speaker 1 00:15:19 And I've had a few experiences working with the Marinol fathers. I've visited China with them twice now. And, and helped teach English in a medical school in Glin China one summer. And also to visit their, their house and their mission in, in Japan, and even to visit their priests and their, their mission that they have in Manila in the Philippines. And what I notice is these are, these are really tough priests. <laugh>, these are really hard working guys. One of the Marinol fathers that I met, he was 95 years old, and the bishop couldn't tell him to retire. He's please, You know, he said he doesn't need to retire. You know, he's still fine. He's still got his health. It just was for me, really inspiring to see. And so those are the appeals. I think that help. And I think for people to realize that, for people to hear that those stories, Yeah. It kind of, it should inspire us as well in our
Speaker 3 00:16:12 Call. Well, one of the aspects of the, uh, presentations from these missionaries in the summer is that they share with the church that they're speaking to the fact that in their country, and they're, wherever they're coming from, very often churches are full and people are risking their lives to go to church. And I think that's, you know, as you say, inspiring when you hear people are, you know, taking their faith, uh, and treating it really as a gift and something there, you know, they could easily stay at home and not worship and be safe, but they, they are going to church. They want to receive holy communion. They wanna be with Christ in the Sacrament and with the community. I mean, just, you know, it makes us who, you know, they often come, the missionaries say, I wish we could take two or three of these churches back with us.
Speaker 3 00:16:56 Yeah. Because, you know, they're not being used as much. That's right. As they would be used where I come from. You know, it just, it reminds people that the church, you know, it's a big world and it's a big church, and we are experiencing one thing in this part of our world about church. But in other parts, even though there's danger, there's vibrancy too that we could learn from. They learn from us. And, and we, we learn from them. And plus the, the idea of connecting with a particular missionary or Right. You get to know the stories. Like, uh, Father Chris is knowing this 95, I mean, that's in, that's something that, especially for priests to meet other priests like that boy that, you know, just really inspiring
Speaker 1 00:17:36 Here. I'm 34 and I was exhausted, you know, and he's nice. So it's, uh, now Father Thomas, you work, can you describe for us, because another one of our Brooklyn priests, my predecessor here, uh, at the co cathedral, Monsignor Kirin Harrington, Yes. Works for the Pontifical Mission Society that's deeply connected with the propagation of the faith. Is that, how does
Speaker 3 00:17:57 That connect? Yes. He's, he's on the, on the national level. So that's a whole other, He's coordinating all these offices, uh, on the, from the diocesan level. So he's actually, the collections reach him, and then he's the one who brings them over to Rome, to the Vatican. So, you know, he's important, a very important figure for the, on the national level as far as,
Speaker 2 00:18:18 And really to try to promote that awareness among diocese.
Speaker 3 00:18:23 That's right. And
Speaker 2 00:18:25 Among God's holy people. So
Speaker 3 00:18:26 That's right to
Speaker 2 00:18:28 National office does a lot of work with pro promotional materials. That awareness, and again, connecting us, connecting us with the stories connects. Right. With the realities that's so that it's not just throwing money into mm-hmm. <affirmative> some funds somewhere. But these are real needs, real destinations. That's right.
Speaker 3 00:18:44 That's right. And their, their magazine, I'm sorry to interrupt that. Yes. That's their magazine also gives many stories. Exactly. Miss Magazine. And, uh,
Speaker 2 00:18:53 And one of the things we try to do is promote membership. That's right. With the propagation.
Speaker 3 00:18:57 With the propagation. So very often people will send in, or the pastors will send in those parishioners who are interested or who have contributed, assuming they are interested in receiving the magazine, just to keep informed. I mean, I know there were others. We all grew up, I think with Meno Magazine, as you mentioned. Right. Yeah. That was always the famous, you
Speaker 2 00:19:17 Know, <laugh>, when I was a kid, those Meno magazines were very important because we used to have to do different projects. And whether it be for social studies or for religion, when you would talk about missionary projects or you would talk about other parts of the world, we'd be cutting out pictures from the Maryal magazine and they'd be going on our poster boards. So when cut and paste literally meant cut and
Speaker 1 00:19:39 Paste <laugh>
Speaker 2 00:19:41 Back
Speaker 1 00:19:41 In my day.
Speaker 2 00:19:42 That's
Speaker 3 00:19:43 Right. It was just, uh, it was everywhere.
Speaker 1 00:19:45 And now, you know, sorry. You also, that your office, um, facilitates the calendar, uh, in the cal the calendars that we send out, we
Speaker 3 00:19:53 Have a wonderful assistant Carra coordinates the calendars that go out to all the different parishes, and they're sponsored either by, you know, funeral homes or by the parish themselves.
Speaker 1 00:20:03 And that helps to raise funds as well. Well,
Speaker 3 00:20:06 Absolutely. It helps run the office. And it's actually been very successful, you know, as far as, you know, calendars as, you know, anyone who works in the church, they, they go like hotcakes,
Speaker 2 00:20:16 Don't they? Right. Yeah. Yeah. <laugh>
Speaker 3 00:20:19 Well, of a sudden we put out 500 and they're gone. You
Speaker 2 00:20:21 Know, I was in Parish for one year. One of the local funeral directors said, I don't know if we need the calendars this year, because Oh, you know, everybody's gone online and all of that. Wow. Was there in Right. <laugh> <laugh>. That's right. They were running off very, very quickly. That's right. <laugh> the competing funeral home, I think board. And that's jumped right in. But yes, you're right. Calendars are a hot item. Yeah. You know, you spoke about, well, we are talking right now about, about the typical missions and the local missions. You mentioned Catholic Relief Services. Yes. And I think that's important too. One of the things that I always find so fascinating, um, so important is when there's an emergency, again, that generates tremendous generosity from our people. Yes. But one of the thing is, because of the network of missionaries and because of the work of Catholic Relief Services, we don't need to get people to these places to help. They're already there.
Speaker 3 00:21:16 That's right. That's right.
Speaker 2 00:21:17 And they're already there. So all we need to do is provide the
Speaker 3 00:21:21 Assistance, and it's two different, Right. But they're not duplicating activities, Catholic relief services, tremendous in relief, helping crisis people in crisis, crisis situations. Whereas the propagation of the faith, uh, helping continue to grow what's already taken root in the particular place as far as the church is concerned. So two different things working together, but
Speaker 2 00:21:44 That network, absolutely. That network gets us so that we can be present wherever and respond.
Speaker 3 00:21:50 And it's quite a network. I have to say the, the number of people involved in, in both propagation of the faith and Catholic relief, huge number of people who are committed, I mean, really committed to this work.
Speaker 2 00:22:01 So as we approach Mission Sunday, I've always said there are the two aspects. So one of them is that awareness and the prayer and the material support for the missionaries out in
Speaker 3 00:22:11 The field. That's right. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:22:12 But then there's a second facet, which is equally important. And it's a reminder to us sending forth that missionary command of Jesus is for all of us, that we're all meant to be, we're all meant to be missionary in our lives. Witnesses as Pope Francis refers us to that line from the acts of the Apostles, again, as Jesus is ascending into heaven, he says, You, you'll receive power and you receive the Holy Spirit, and you will be my witnesses here in Jerusalem and Judaism, Amari. Right. Even to the ends of the earth. Hmm. You will be my witnesses. And that comes to mind every time I do a confirmation mm-hmm. <affirmative> that was sent, given the Holy Spirit so that we can be the witnesses of Jesus, be his missionary people. And that begins at home, doesn't it?
Speaker 3 00:22:57 Yeah. You remind me, Pope Francis quotes Paul the sixth and saying, you know, be a witness, not a teacher. You know, a witness lives it, a teacher teaches it. You can be a good teacher if you're a witness. In other words, it has. You have to be living it. And I think that's, you know, as you say, I mean, we all, especially the priests, I think in this country, or maybe in this diocese, this part of the world have to be missionaries in a sense. You know, look at our parishes as mission fields because we are, you know, trying to do new things all the time. Trying to connect with people, trying to draw them back in. That's one of the beauties of the, the neo catechumenate movement, is that they understand that sometimes Catholics need to be re categorized. And I think that's why we work so well with them. But that would be true of every parent.
Speaker 2 00:23:44 That's right. Yeah. You know, we realize this day we can't just go with the tide. That's right. But that the gospel needs to be proclaimed anew using new tools, new message. And given the new order as, uh, St. John and Paul, the second would say, We, we need to be on fire with that missionary spirit. And really, we just marked the 60th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, and that sense of that universal call to holiness. And the reminder as we hear in the baptism, right, of the domestic church, parents are the first teachers of their child in the ways of faith. The home is the domestic church. So there is the first mission field. And so just parents, moms, and dad, by doing what you're doing, the simple things you do, you know, and, and some of those basic customs, like the nativity said, like the crucifix hanging on the wall mm-hmm. <affirmative>, like teaching your children their prayers. Very, very basic simple things. Those are bold missionary acts, Those your missionaries. And I congratulate you for that. And we wanna encourage you in that field. And that's the other side of Mission Sunday, is to encourage all of the missionaries in the community.
Speaker 1 00:24:55 And this is where, you know, I've had experiences too, and I know Bishop, you speak often about your connections with, uh, focus, the focus missionaries, these young college students who, uh, who make it a point to be bold, uh, and be Catholic, be proud. And, and again, coming out of their comfort zones to witness to the faith in all things, but witness to the faith, to their, to their peers. Right. On, on college levels. In college universities,
Speaker 2 00:25:21 I had the chance to be with some of the people who were supporting folks. They had a little bit of a retreat out east, and I offered mass for them earlier this week. And yeah. I'm just so impressed by a lot of different missionary movements. Focus is one of them reaching out on the university ground. St. Paul Outreach is another one. Reaching out on the university grounds. I'll be meeting with O Y C P. We had a chapter in Columbus, Young Catholic professionals, just young people, you know, not, not wearing their religion on their sleeve, not going out and shouting in the street, but just supporting each other. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> in living authentically the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:25:59 And they always need our support too. I mean, they're, Oh yes. They're self-sufficient. Really. They, they rely solely on the support of those who can help them and, uh,
Speaker 2 00:26:07 Sponsor. And they actually, they do a lot of their own fundraising, even the missionaries. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. But, but again, and they begin with friendship. It be, that's how it begins. It begins with friendship. And then in friendship you say to somebody, Can I tell you about my faith? Would you like to come and join us for a Bible study? And that's how it all from works. Yeah. So yes, this mission Sunday, thank you for the good work you're doing. Father Hern, thank you, um, for keeping us always aware of those out in the missionary fields, but also reminding us of that great impulse of mission. Sunday.
Speaker 1 00:26:40 Father Hern will be celebrate of the, uh, 11:00 AM mass here at the co cathedral on net TV and the one 30 mass in Espanol. Yes. Here on net tv. So, um, our Dias and uh, television channel. So we're looking forward to having you welcoming you to share your message. Again, thank you, uh, with a different audience. But thanks for being with us today.
Speaker 2 00:26:58 Thank you,
Speaker 1 00:26:59 Bishop. Would you like to lead us in a closing prayer?
Speaker 2 00:27:02 Sure. Our missionary roots really come out of this scripture. And, uh, so we recalled those commissions of Jesus at the time of his ascension. Um, uh, let me close with one of the Psalm, Psalm 19. We often pray it when we're thinking of the apostles in the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit. Amen. The heavens declare the glory of God. The Herman proclaims the work of his hands. Day on today, pours fourth speech night on tonight, Whispers knowledge. There is no speech, no words. Their voice is not heard. A report goes forth through all the earth. Their message to the ends of the world. He's pitched in them 10 for the sun. It comes forth like a bride room from his canopy. Like a hero joyfully runs its course from one end of the heavens. It comes forth, it course runs to the other. Nothing escapes its seed. Oh Lord, develop in us that love for proclaiming your word, witnessing to it, and sharing it to the ends of the world through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Amen. A may mighty God bless you, the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Speaker 1 00:28:10 Thank you for joining us in another addition of big city Catholics. Father I Hearn, uh, World Mission Sunday celebrated on October 22nd and 23rd of this year, 2022. Uh, we wish you the best of luck with your, uh, collection in the promulgation of the faith, and we'll see you again next week. God bless.
