A recent article in the Star Tribune focused on the role of Father Louis Hennepin in chronicling the natural wonders of Minnesota in the late 17th century. What delighted me most was that the article made mention of his motivation: a deep concern for souls. As adventurous by temperament as the most rugged of explorers, it wasn’t furs or fame that attracted him to the mighty Mississippi but the same apostolic zeal that had propelled our patron, St. Paul, and missionaries throughout the ages like Patrick, Boniface, Cyril and Methodius, Francis Xavier. Regardless of our roots, we all owe our faith to the men and women who devoted their lives to the work of mission.
When I was named bishop of Gaylord, Michigan, in 2009, I received multiple copies of the Diary of Venerable Frederic Baraga, a missionary priest from Slovenia who had served as pastor of one of our parishes before being named the first bishop of Marquette. Known as the snowshoe priest, he demonstrated heroic virtue as he traveled throughout Michigan, Wisconsin and even the North Shore to bring Christ and the Church’s sacraments to the Native Americans and trappers of the Upper Midwest. I was blessed to travel with our seminarians this past summer to Madeline Island, the site of one of Father Baraga’s early parishes, with the hope that the experience would stir into flame our own missionary impulses.
Archbishop Bernard Hebda
We were blessed with an excellent guide at the local museum, who showed us not only Father Baraga’s vestments and chalice, but also shared with us many accounts of his heroic zeal, including how Father Baraga risked his life to travel across Lake Superior in a canoe in treacherous conditions to tend to a dying man in a Native American settlement near Grand Portage in need of the sacraments. I’m eager to visit the Baraga cross at Cross River on the North Shore that now stands as a wonderful reminder of how the Lord blesses those who devote their lives to the spread of the Gospel.
The Second Vatican Council taught that the whole Church has to be missionary and described the work of evangelization as a “basic duty” of the people of God (Ad Gentes 35). In that regard, the Council Fathers were confirming the insight of Pauline Jaricot, a young French laywoman who 200 years ago founded the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, a vehicle for ordinary people to support the missionary efforts of the Church with their prayers and contributions. On its 100th anniversary, the society was granted pontifical status, and earlier this year, Pope Francis approved the beatification of this amazing advocate, who mobilized the Church around the globe on behalf of the missions.
In the course of Blessed Pauline’s life, the fledging Church in the United States was one of the major beneficiaries of the society. Now, as the society celebrates its 200th anniversary, we have the opportunity to show both our gratitude for its role in our history and our commitment to the Church’s missionary efforts. Every year on World Mission Sunday, Catholics are called to support the Society for the Propagation of the Faith as well as the other Pontifical Missionary Societies.
In a recent letter, our nuncio, Archbishop Christophe Pierre, reminded us that this annual collection gives us an opportunity to enable the Holy Father to make sure “that all missions are remembered and receive much-needed help.”
The great façade of our Cathedral portrays Jesus commissioning the apostles to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth. That work continues to this day. We’ve been inspired in the course of our Synod to embrace that work within our archdiocese, but we know that it needs to be advanced around the globe as well. Please join me in praying for all involved in the missionary efforts of the Church (and especially for the priests, consecrated women and men, and laity from this archdiocese involved in the work of mission) and let us do our part to support their efforts. While we as an archdiocese have special ties with the Diocese of Kitui in Kenya, and with the parish of Jesus Resucitado in Venezuela, and while many of you and our parishes are extraordinarily generous in support of particular parishes, schools and institutions throughout the mission world, we have an opportunity this year on Oct. 23 to do even more by assisting the Pontifical Mission Societies. In this year, in which we celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, may the Lord pour out special blessings on all who support the Church’s missionary efforts.
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