‘Is what we are doing deepening prayer, enabling communion and strengthening mission?’ Bishop Declan Lang of Clifton recently challenged the Diocesan Directors of Missio as they gathered in Hinsley Hall, Leeds, for the National Council’s annual meeting. The Catholics of England and Wales, through Missio, provide a vital lifeline as they help to support mission dioceses across the world.

The Bishop proceeded to answer his own question. ‘If what we are doing DOES deepen prayer, enable communion and strengthen mission, then whatever the difficulties, we must continue.’

He continued: ‘Missio’s gift to the parishes of England and Wales is a reminder that we are part of a universal Church. It stops us from becoming inward-looking, concentrating only on parochial concerns. We live in a changing world and must engage with it, making the best use of our resources in order to become an oasis of enthusiasm, energized by the Holy Spirit. Missio develops a very concrete sense of universal Catholicism.’

A few days before the gathering in Hinsley Hall, Pope Benedict received in audience the National Directors of Missio from across the world as they concluded their annual conference in Rome on Friday 21 May. This yearly gathering allocates the funding to the Church’s 1,069 mission dioceses for the coming year.

Mgr John Dale, National Director of Missio in England and Wales, presented to the Holy Father the materials produced by the Catholic Truth Society which are especially designed to help the Catholics of England and Wales to prepare for his visit to the UK in September. He also told the Pope, on behalf of the many thousands of Missio supporters in England and Wales, just how much they are looking forward to his coming. He promised the Holy Father that there would be many prayers that the visit will be fruitful and bring many blessings.

Zimbabwe’s eight dioceses, received a total of £505,000 from England and Wales in 2009. Fr Davison Lukio, Missio National Director for Zimbabwe wrote to acknowledge the help given his country through the Association for the Propagation of the Faith (APF) and its Red Box, through the Society of St Peter the Apostle (SPA) and Mission Together.

Fr Lukio wrote:

‘I would like to say thank you for the great support of Missio in England and Wales, especially through APF, Mission Together and the Society of St Peter the Apostle (SPA). Our Bishops would be unable to run their parishes without the help from APF and the Red Boxes.

Also, due to high inflation and because the government could not pay the teachers, many of them left for greener pastures and a number of schools were left without teachers. The help we have received through Mission Together has helped our Bishops to bridge the gap… Thanks once again for all the assistance from the Society of St Peter the Apostle for helping to feed our future priests and their teachers.’