My Dear Parishioners,

Last week Deacon Greg Palmer from the Mission Diocese of Rapid City, South Dakota spoke to us at all the Masses.  Usually our missionaries come from places like India, or Africa.  Rarely do we get one from the United States.  It is a good reminder that we do have dioceses within our own country who rely on the generosity of others from outside their area.  As requested by the Propagation for the Faith, the Missionary was to present his/her Mission on one week and the collection for that Mission taken up the following week.  This week our second collection is designated specifically for the use of Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Rapid City.  If you forgot your Mission envelope, there are some extras on the table or you can drop loose bills into the second collection basket, or send a check, made out to St. Joseph Church, to the rectory.  Be sure to write in the memo, or on the envelope MISSION APPEAL.

The following weekend the Archdiocese is asking us to take up a special collection for the Black and Indian Missions.  Please note that this is a different mission. I apologize for having the two mission collections so close together, but because of scheduling concerns, this was unavoidable.  Archbishop Perez has asked that the following letter be communicated to all the parishes in advance of next week’s mission collection.

God Bless You!
Fr. Bordonaro

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The Black and Indian Mission Collection has changed the landscape of evangelization and education efforts for Native Americans, Alaskan Americans and African Americans throughout the United States. Your financial contribution to this fund assists clergy, religious and lay catechists, parishes, schools and catechetical centers for the evangelization of the Black and Native American peoples throughout our country.

As we embark on another year of evangelization in the Black Catholic, Native American and Alaskan Native communities, everyone is encouraged to make a difference by offering their prayers for the fruitful support of the missions in the United States and to consider expressing concretely their Christian solidarity through sacrificial offerings.

Your support impacts the daily pastoral work of our bishops, consecrated religious women and men, and lay-leadership who labor on Indian reservations, urban centers, Black Catholic and Alaskan Native parishes, mission schools and the many, many diocesan programs and

projects that strengthen the work of the Gospel. Locally, through grants awarded from this collection, a number of parishes within the Archdiocese are able to fund pastoral outreach and evangelization programs. It is only through your continued generosity of this collection that such efforts are realized.

The Collection for the Black and Indian Missions will be held in parishes of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia on the weekend of September 5 and 6, 2020. I ask your continued prayers and generous financial support of this collection.

Sincerely in Christ,
+Nelson J. Pérez, D.D.
Archbishop of Philadelphia

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