2018 USA SALESIAN MISSION PREACHING BAND

(Orange, N.J. – June 14) – The members of the 2018 USA Salesian Mission Band gathered in Orange, N.J., for a day of orientation coordinated by Salesian Missions USA and the Salesian community of the Don Bosco Residence.

The orientation began with each missionary introducing himself, telling of his current mission ministry, and reporting whether this is his first time on the band or he is a veteran of how many years. The group then joined together in prayer, praying the World Mission Rosary. Following the Rosary, veteran Mission Cooperation Plan (MCP) preachers gave practical hints to those on the band for the first time. Fr. Mark Hyde gave the required safe environment training.

After lunch Fr. Mike Pace and Bro. Tom Sweeney welcomed the missionaries to the community of Orange and gave an orientation to the ins and outs of the community and various responsibilities. Then mission office colleagues Josephine Trapasso, Joann Oliva, and Kelli Bochnik met with the missionaries and dealt with the practicalities of their summer itineraries, air travel, cell phones, bank cards, and Mass intentions.

Twelve Salesian missionaries hailing from Colombia, the Dominican Republic, India, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Zambia, and the USA form this year’s preaching band. In their assignments in some 85 parishes assigned to the Salesians by the Propagation of the Faith in 28 dioceses throughout the country, they will tell of the good accomplished by Salesian missionary activity around the world.

The MCP of the U.S. Catholic Church has a two-fold purpose.

First, many mission dioceses/congregations/lay organizations get a chance to appeal personally for prayer and financial support from Catholics of the U.S.

Second, U.S. Catholics get the opportunity to be educated about what is happening in the mission fields today. MCP missionaries emphasize solidarity and understanding of situations that make life so difficult for so many people around the globe. The U.S. bishops through the MCP program call American Catholics “to help overcome the divisions in our world. Solidarity binds the rich to the poor. It makes the free zealous for the rights of the oppressed. It drives the comfortable and secure to take risks for the victims of tyranny and war.”