Mission Today- Autumn/Winter 2023

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Cover image: A young Timorese student accessing education to build a better future.

Editor: Astrid Delayre

Contributors: Francis Leong, Kelly Girone-Shorten, Jacqueline Toakley, Patrick Fox, Jenny Collins-White, Matthew Poynting, Matthew Gibson

Photos: Simone Medri, Catholic Mission partners

Design: Smarta By Design

Printed by: BMS Group

Catholic Mission acknowledges that we live and work on the land of Australia’s First Peoples. We pay our respect to the ever‑present spirituality of Elders past and present.

This publication may include images of deceased persons.

A message from the National Director

I am honoured to introduce the latest edition of Mission Today, the magazine that explores the work of Catholic Mission and highlights the inspiring stories of lay and religious missionaries around the world.

As we gear up to World Mission Month 2023 with the theme ‘Hearts on fire, feet on the move’, this new issue of Mission Today reflects on the resilience, passion and dedication that everyday missionaries demonstrate in their life-giving work.

In this edition, you will read about the transformative impact of grassroots projects such as healthcare and education in communities around the world. You will also discover how missionaries work in partnership with local communities to create positive change.

Through the stories shared in this issue, we invite you to journey with us and explore the ways in which, together in Mission, we can make a difference in the world.

As Sister Alma, a missionary in Timor-Leste, reminds us, “everywhere we can make something, small things, but we can do what God wants from us.” Let us join hands and hearts in service to others, and together, let us reach for the Kingdom of God.

I hope you enjoy reading this latest edition of Mission Today and feel inspired to join us in our Mission to make a positive impact on the world.

Yours in Mission,

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Burning passion leading to action for a more just world

Around the world, millions of missionaries are dedicating their lives to serving others. Mission can take many forms, from providing children access to quality education, to implementing a health clinic in a rural area. What is core to all these actions is the burning passion of the missionaries, working hand-in-hand with local communities, to empower them to walk in their own capacity.

To celebrate these missionaries and their work, Pope Francis has published a message for the 2023 World Mission Sunday, held annually on the penultimate Sunday in October. His message encourages people around the world to renew their commitment to spreading the Good News and to support missionary work.

Choosing the theme, ‘Hearts on fire, feet on the move’, Pope Francis aims to reflect on how the word of God transforms hearts, and how this burning passion leads us to take action to create a more just world.

He highlights the role of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in supporting

the great work of Mission and calls on all people to support this work. Known as Catholic Mission in Australia, PMS is dedicated to creating awareness of missionary activity and to raising funds to support the Church’s missionary efforts. He also reminds us that Mission is not just about spreading the Gospel, but also about building bridges of solidarity across the world.

Established in over 150 countries, PMS is the largest missionary network in the world. Together, we collaborate globally to provide support to the communities most in need. Recently, the strength of this global network was highlighted through the response of PMS agencies providing practical and pastoral support to the earthquake victims in Turkey (officially the Republic of Türkiye) and Syria.

This World Mission Month, together, let’s answer the call to Mission with generosity and enthusiasm, knowing that our support can make a real difference in the lives of the people most in need.

Above: Catholic Mission’s theme for World Mission Month 2023, reflecting Pope Francis’ message.

Answering Pope Francis’ call for solidarity

Earlier this year, devastating earthquakes struck Turkey and Syria, killing over 50,000 people and leaving an even greater number homeless, with more than 2.4 million people displaced. These earthquakes have destroyed more than just buildings; they have destroyed entire lives and shattered hope for the future, plunging many people into uncertainty and despair.

As part of PMS, Catholic Mission has answered the international call of the Church from Pope Francis, to provide assistance to the people of Turkey and Syria.

More than ever, the strength of the PMS network was palpable in the global solidarity that emerged so quickly from the time the earthquakes occurred.

Monsignor Mounir Saccal, General Director of the Syrian-Catholic Church and National Director of PMS Syria, sent a direct call for assistance and prayer to the network, hoping for generous assistance for the people of Aleppo.

“We offer what we have. As the Lord says: Give them food, give them something to

drink. Pray for us. Don’t forget that we are here, in Aleppo,” pleaded Monsignor Mounir Saccal in a cry from the heart. This call was relayed by many PMS agencies to their friends and supporters. At this very moment, religious and lay missionaries are on the ground, actively coordinating relief efforts to provide pastoral and practical support to victims of the earthquakes. As time has passed, the immediate suffering has turned into grief—for loved ones who have lost their lives and for lives shattered by the tragedy.

Father Adrian Loza OFM, National Director of PMS Turkey

says,

In this crucial stage of rebuilding, these missionaries’ loving hearts, directed to action, are giving vital support to local communities, creating new signs of hope and recreating a sense of normality.

Above: A man looking at the devastation created by the earthquake in Syria.

My message is an invitation to prayer and generosity, not only now, but also afterwards.”

Languages:

Tetum and Portuguese

Capital:

Dili

Population: 1,183,643 (2015)

Catholic rate: 97.57% (2015)

Number of dioceses:

1 Archdiocese

2 Dioceses

Economy:

Agriculture, hospitality and tourism services

Main challenges:

High poverty rate, limited infrastructure including education, lack of gainful employment and access to health care.

Spotlight on Mission: Timor-Leste

This year, we are journeying to Timor-Leste to meet with extraordinary missionaries who are dedicated to creating a more just world.

Timor-Leste is a small island nation located in Southeast Asia, 730 km north-west of Darwin, with its closest neighbour being Indonesia. After decades of violent conflict with Indonesia and the massacres of tens of thousands of Timorese, the country secured its independence from Indonesia in 2002. However, the road to independence came at a high cost for the local communities and harshly impacted rural economic development.

Now, Timor-Leste is facing socio-economic challenges which significantly affect its development.

As the Timorese people continue their journey to building a better future for themselves, Catholic Mission has travelled to meet with them to discover more about their daily life and the challenges they face. This journey, both physical and spiritual, has led to beautiful encounters with people. This year, we will share their stories and their voices, so that they may be heard around the world.

Above: Sr Alma and Sr Carolina walking in the streets of Venilale, encountering community members.

Left: Sr Carolina visiting members of the Venilale community.

Learn more

From Italy to Timor-Leste, the missionary journey of Sr Alma

Sr Alma Castagna is the Provincial of the Salesian Sisters in Timor-Leste and Indonesia. Growing up in Italy, Sr Alma studied medicine to become a doctor. Guided by her faith, she decided to join the Mission and dedicate her life to serving others.

After working across Asia and Oceania, she arrived in Timor-Leste 30 years ago, where she began to work as a doctor among local communities struggling to access health services and medical personnel. Her skills and training were vital, and she was soon sent to work on different projects around the country to help the people most in need.

In 1994, she was asked to help running a vocational school for young girls and boys, St Maria Mazzarello Vocational School, in Venilale. Along with the school, an ambulatory medical service was introduced. From this project emerged the Maria Auxiliadora Clinic in 1995, where Sr Alma served as a doctor until recently.

Her journey as a missionary has been driven by her burning passion for people and her faith. She is reminded of the presence of Christ through every encounter and as she sees people walk toward a better future in their own capacity. In her own words, Sr Alma describes the importance of taking action,

Sr Alma’s devotion to helping others continues to be an inspiration for many missionaries.

Above:

Sr Alma, the Provincial of the Salesian Sisters in Timor-Leste and Indonesia.

Everywhere we can make something, small things, but we can do what God wants from us.”

Sr Carolina, a devoted Timorese nurse

Sr Carolina Maria Correia is a Salesian Sister. Originally from a small village an hour away from Venilale, she knew her calling at the age of seventeen when she discovered the life and Mission of the Salesian Sisters.

A year later, Sr Carolina moved to the convent where she dedicated herself to the great work of Mission. She discovered a new depth to her calling when she moved to the Philippines to study.

During this time, she met Sr Alma, who worked there as a doctor. This encounter was life-changing for Sr Carolina. Inspired by Sr Alma’s devotion to others and by the work of the other doctors and nurses, Sr Carolina decided to become a missionary. She reflects on what Mission means to her:

Mission is where many people need you.”

Guided by her love for people, she set out to become a nurse, something she had never previously considered. She then travelled back to Timor-Leste where she worked as a health professional.

After years spent dividing her time between her formation in Rome and her missionary work in her home country, Sr Carolina is now working at the Maria Auxiliadora Clinic in Venilale, under the guidance of Doctor Sr Alma. Together they care for the local communities, providing them with medical assistance and pastoral care.

Learn more

Above: Sr Carolina, a dedicated Timorese nurse walking hand-in-hand with the Venilale community.

Young girls having access to education, an image of hope for the community.

Missionaries in action: Providing healthcare to the Venilale community

Situated 150 km from the east of Dili, Venilale is a town of 16,000 inhabitants.

Following decades of unrest, Venilale has limited access to resources and infrastructure, and faces a range of challenges, including the lack of access to healthcare professionals.

The Salesian Sisters, who first came to Venilale to support the education of young children, discovered a great need for medical assistance. In 1995, driven by their commitment to God’s Mission and hand-in-hand with the local community, they created the Maria Auxiliadora Clinic, a place dedicated to healing and health education.

Through decades of service, the Sisters have established a strong bond with the community, with each new generation trusting the Sisters to care for them.

In providing people with physical and psychological care, the Clinic takes a holistic approach by sharing healthy lifestyle skills and habits. Through health promotion, the community is empowered to have autonomy over their well-being.

“The people are welcome. The people feel at home. They can stay, they can

talk about their own problems, not just sickness, and enter a deeper conversation. We spend time with them to explain things. In this way, the people feel important,” says Sr Alma.

One key work of the Sisters focuses on promoting nutrition. Targeting schools, this program ensures that children are developing healthy nutrition habits for themselves and their families. This year, the Sisters are looking to implement this program in 24 schools in Venilale and in the surrounding communities.

Currently, 51 children in 1,000 under the age of five are dying prematurely, with malnutrition as one of the main contributing factors. Teaching healthy habits enables this new generation to make informed choices about their health and to pass on vital knowledge to their families and future children.

While there is important progress, many challenges remain in keeping the Venilale Clinic running. Doctors are difficult to find and retain, and the cost of maintaining the Clinic continues to rise. The support of Catholic Mission’s friends and supporters remain an important factor in carrying this life-giving work.

Above:

A young boy with his mother, having a health check up at the Clinic with Sr Carolina.

Vocational School in Venilale: hope for the younger generation

Unemployment and lack of qualified employees are prominent challenges in rural areas of Timor-Leste, especially for younger girls. In communities like Venilale, there is a lack of opportunity for the younger generation to hone the specific skills that will be key to their employability.

To empower younger generations, in 1994 the Salesian Sisters set themselves in action and created the St Maria Mazzarello Vocational School in Venilale. The School provides a safe learning environment for young girls and boys. It gives them the opportunity to learn vital employable skills. Focusing on hospitality, students learn how to cook and to manage tasks in kitchens and restaurants.

Sadly, the School was reduced to ashes in 2001 during the violent transition to independence. Ninety per cent of the School was destroyed, which led to a journey to rebuild. Fortunately, the School is now fully operational and supports 214 students.

As well as giving them basic tools to support themselves, the Sisters are working with the younger generation

of Venilale to help them create a better future for the local community.

Upon graduation, students have access to a range of employment opportunities in the cities. This gives them hope for the future and a sense of empowerment, knowing that they have the skills to financially support themselves and their families.

Sr Carolina says,

with good values, to promote their capacity and professional autonomy, therefore they are able to contribute.”

However, running the School and updating the facilities to match the current health standards represents a significant cost. This cannot be covered by the low fees paid by the students, as most of them come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Thanks to the devotion of the missionaries and the support of Catholic Mission’s friends and supporters, the School is looking forward to making the necessary updates and keep welcoming students.

Learn more

Above: Students at the Vocational School learning skills to build a better future for themselves.

We want to educate and train youth

Local reflections

To understand what ‘Hearts on fire, feet on the move’ really means, we asked some Catholic Mission’s staff, here in Australia, to reflect on the 2023 theme. Here is what they shared with us.

Learn more

We invite you to share your reflection on ‘Hearts on fire, feet on the move’. Connect with us on social media, or email your reflection to Media@catholicmission.org.au, to be part of the next edition of Mission Today Digital.

“When I reflect back on my eight years of missionary service in the refugee camps of sub-Saharan Africa, my heart was definitely on fire, burning with passion. Back then, I understood that to really be with the people, I needed to be on the move with them, on my feet, accompanying them day-in, day-out, in the midst of their joys and suffering. As Pope Francis would say, we have to have dust on our shoes.

These days my shoes aren’t so dusty, but the burning passion for Mission remains as strong as ever. I’m still on the move each day, meeting people in their parishes, schools, offices and homes, to inspire and encourage their support for the work of missionaries all over the world.

Our missionaries have hearts that are on fire and their feet are on the move for the people they passionately love and serve to the very end.”

Francis Leong, Diocesan Director – Perth

“When I reflect on ‘Hearts on fire, feet on the move’, I think about the importance of having a clear sense of direction and purpose in life. It’s not enough to simply have a vague idea of what we want to achieve; we need to be passionate about it, and willing to put in the hard work and effort required to make it a reality.

By putting our ‘feet on the move’, we demonstrate our commitment and determination to make our goals a reality.

I also think ‘Hearts on fire, feet on the move’ is a powerful reminder of the importance of passion, purpose and action in our lives.”

Kelly Girone-Shorten, Donor Services & Engagement Manager

“When I first started at Catholic Mission, we went to Cambodia to visit the projects and meet project partners. It was a transformative experience. I remember the missionaries who were truly directing their hearts — their love for Jesus Christ and their love for the people they serve — into very concrete action, with their feet on the move. Their love of God propelled them to establish transformative projects — projects that change lives and bring hope and opportunity to local communities. And they work with so much love, the fire of love. Inspired by missionaries, I try to remember that, in my work and as part of the wider Church, our hearts should be on fire.

We are all united in our love of God, and hopefully, that’s going to inspire us to get our feet on the move and make positive changes in the world.”

Jacqueline Toakley, Diocesan Director – Armidale

Learn

Building bridges for encounters in a multicultural environment

For a genuine human encounter, we have to be able to communicate across our differences. With an increasing number of multicultural households in Australia, language and cultural differences sometimes create barriers to the experience of encounter.

Multicultural knowledge helps to bridge the gaps in our communication, deepening our understanding of our differences and our capacity to work together. It raises awareness of the diversity that exists in the world, allowing us to reflect on how culture shapes us, our way of thinking and acting. To appreciate the important role of culture is to be able to approach one another in our cultural differences with an open mind and heart.

With half of the priests working in Australian dioceses born, trained or ordained overseas, and an increasing number of parishioners from diverse backgrounds, it is imperative for our church communities to gain a sound knowledge of cultural differences.

To create positive pathways of cross-cultural communication, Catholic Mission has developed a Cultural

Competency workshop, which teaches practical skills and tools to communicate effectively. Participants learn about the importance of cultural differences, the potential challenges they may present, and how to address those challenges to establish bona fide relationships.

Patrick Fox, Cultural Competency Consultant at Catholic Mission, says,

When organisations engage in the workshop, they often realise that there is a wealth of cultural diversity. They are exposed to so much more than they had anticipated, and they become eager to continue on a never-ending journey of learning.”

Above: Workshop participants discuss ways to bridge cultural gaps.

The Truth from the Heart, a Truth Telling experience

Many stories of the past are hidden from public view, obstructing the past and creating a filter on real events, leading many generations of Australians to not know their stories.

To unveil these hidden stories, Catholic Mission, in partnership with the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry in Sydney, has built a program to engage senior students and adults in exploring Australian history through a Church lens. Structured as a workshop, this immersive experience leads participants on a journey through the five eras of government policy in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Going beyond a simple history lesson, participants plunge into an experiential role-play. By embodying historical and current characters, they engage their empathy, imagination, creativity, responsibility and also their hearts and faith.

They are faced with ethical, spiritual and personal challenges, as they have to abide by the reality of their characters and their time-bound context. For example: ‘How would workshop participants react to the Church running missions during the protection and segregation era?’

The emotionally-charged experience enables the participants to connect with their characters, heighten their curiosity and challenge their vision of history. It also empowers them to be creators of change. Participants are offered a better understanding of today’s community discussions, such as the Uluru Statement, and why they are important for Australian

society moving forward. Reconciliation, forgiveness and restorative justice are at the core of this journey.

The church lens of the workshop is critical in helping people of faith reflect on the Church’s impact on Australian society as well as acknowledging the events of the past. As a major player in the Church’s ‘mission history’, Catholic Mission has a unique responsibility to share these hidden stories and perspectives that have not been widely heard until now. Truth Telling about injustice and oppression is an opportunity for the restoration of justice.

“We need to tell this story, which is not really known by the community,” says Jenny Collins-White, Mission Formation Manager at Catholic Mission. “We need to talk about the role that the Church and mission groups played in this history. The good stories and the negative stories. They are challenging, but they bring us closer to the truth and a picture that is whole.”

Learn more

Above: Unveiling events of the past in action.

Students’ feet are on the move and scoring goals

As Catholic Mission’s flagship schools community engagement program, Socktober was built on the premise of kids supporting kids. With last year’s campaign helping to fund a goat farming project in Ethiopia, it was a rather unusual case of kids supporting kids with kids.

The numbers are in, and together, school communities across Australia collectively raised a total of $580,000 for children in need in Ethiopia and around the world, despite increasingly challenging economic circumstances.

This achievement was the work of over 550 schools around the country who joined together to answer the call of families in Ethiopia.

The particular needs tackled were nutrition and food security, issues that are addressed with the sustainable agriculture program at the local Deberety Farm. With support from the funds raised by Australian students and their families, the farm was able to purchase 150 goats which have now bred kids, ensuring a long-lasting impact.

“You could say that Socktober in 2022 afforded kids the opportunity to support

kids with kids,” says Matt Poynting, the program’s coordinator.

It really benefits the students’ formation journey when they can see the impact of the advocacy and fundraising for which they were responsible.”

In addition to supplying essential milk to the most vulnerable members of the community, the farm also serves as a means of employment for local men and women. The upcoming stages of the project will concentrate on enhancing breeding techniques and boosting productivity.

Socktober 2023, which launches in August, will focus on Timor-Leste, where the effects of national trauma are manifest in widespread poverty, inequality and lack of critical infrastructure, services and employment. Among the projects, students will raise funds for the Salesian Sisters medical clinic (see page 12), which has supported generations of Timorese in Venilale.

Keep an eye out for more at socktober.org.au.

A ‘little way’ to create a lasting legacy

Making a gift in your Will to a not-for-profit is often a selfless act that enables people to see works that are close to their hearts continue beyond themselves. That is the aim of the Society of the Little Flower, a Catholic Mission community, named after St Therese of Lisieux, the patroness of Mission.

Established by Catholic Mission 20 years ago in Australia, the Society of the Little Flower gathers supporters who have decided to include a gift in their Will to contribute to the great work of Mission. The society is a way to thank supporters for their actions, and also to foster a sense of community among people who use their ‘little way’ to create a lasting legacy.

Members of the Society of the Little Flower are a community of like-minded supporters who come together and celebrate their shared passion for Mission and the work of Catholic Mission. Society members around the country celebrate Mass together, meet with special guests at events and are invited to share their prayer intentions with Catholic Mission throughout the year.

The welcoming of each new participant offers the opportunity to discuss the work of Mission and also to gain a deeper understanding of St Therese of Lisieux, patroness of Mission. Each new member receives an official certificate, although the most significant gift is the St Therese prayer card. Her burning passion and devotion, as expressed in her biography, demonstrate the importance of the ‘little ways’, those little actions that everyone can take. As small as they may be, in the end they are guaranteed to have an impact.

Inspired by her burning heart for Mission, the Society honours her vision of the ‘little ways’ and has chosen the rose as a reminder of her words,

I will spend my heaven doing good on earth. I will let fall a shower of roses.”

The rose symbol is used by Society members to signify their belonging to a community of people who have made a gift in their Will to Catholic Mission.

You, too, can become a member of the Society of the Little Flower. Learn more about St Therese and encounter like-minded people who wish to carry the work of Mission beyond themselves, thanks to a gift in their Will. To learn more about the difference a gift in your Will can make for the people most in need, visit catholicmission.org.au/bequest. Learn more

Above: St Therese of Lisieux, the patroness of Mission.

Hearts on fire, feet on the move’

Adult immersion to Timor-Leste

Take part in a life-changing experience.

Join Catholic Mission Immersions for a journey to Timor-Leste and discover for yourself the life-giving work of the Salesian Sisters.

Embark on this physical and spiritual journey in November 2023.

You will come back changed and challenged, with a broader vision of God’s Mission.

If you are interested in participating in this Immersion, contact bsullivan@catholicmission.org.au

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