I'm in the diocese of Gaspé, QC today for World Mission Sunday (29th Sunday in Ordinary Time), October 21, 2012. It is the day when we pray, not only for missionaries all over the world, but also that we can all get in touch with our missionary spirit. When I asked Baptistine Ralamboarison, Secretary General of The Pontifical Society of the Missionary Childhood (also called Holy Childhood. In French, L'Enfance Missionnaire), who told me that we were all called (even children) to be missionaries, what that meant, she said, "to live with your eyes open." I love that. It is something that I can do: See those around me, as they are, in their physical and spiritual need; and to respond. It is no coincidence that the Holy Father's missionary intention for October is "that the celebration of World Mission Sunday may result in a renewed commitment to evangelization." That's not just for the religious and the ordained; it's for all of us! Today, on World Mission Sunday (and every year) all Catholics are invited to participate in a world-wide hour of adoration, from 9-10am (whatever time zone you are in). I hope you can join me. Let's pray for ourselves, that we are able to open our eyes and live out our apostolic, missionary call. Join us in praying the World Mission Prayer:

Lord Our God, help us to walk with you on the pathway of the beatitudes and to live out your mission in today's world.

Bind us to all men and women of our time so that together we may bring the Good News to the ends of the earth.

Open our hearts and our Christian communities to the needy, the afflicted, the oppressed. May we radiate the Living Christ and transform our lives in the hope of the Resurrection.

This prayer we make to you who are living God now and forever.

Amen.

So from 9-10am I will be here in the chapel of the Maison Notre-Dame de Sion, home of the Soeurs Missionaires du Christ-Roi in Gaspé, QC,  in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Where will you be? Deacon Pedro - P.S. The Holy Father's Message for World Mission Sunday is available on the Vatican website.

For  more information visit the Society for the Propagation of the Faith and/or Les Oeuvres pontificales missionaires.