Lets take a nine day journey of prayer.

These sharings reflect the many ways that

Global Mission touches us all.
I invite you all to take a minute and check out
each days sharing.

Day 1.

The whole Catholic world cele-

brates MISSION. We are all engaged in MISSION by virtue of our Baptism in one way or
another. We each are infused with the grace
and authority to go beyond ourselves in big
and small ways to witness the person of Jesus
Christ, live His message and serve others near and far. The annual celebration of Mission Sunday happens
on the third Sunday of October, this year being the 19 th. But we are engaged in Mission everyday. The
homily on that Sunday touched on the fact that we are all missionaries and invited us all to engagement
beyond our parish community as well as remembering in prayer those missionaries who are far from
home. There may be special lectures or other events that help us understand the greater call to Mission.
Many Catholic schools and Religious Education Classes have the children engage in projects that help them
become aware of children from other far away countries who share the same faith, but may not share the
same opportunities of education, good health and the like.
Although it is true that all baptized are missionaries, what about those who belong to
missionary communities like the Xaverian Missionaries? What difference is there
from the ordinary baptized Catholic and the one who is part of a mission community
such as the Xaverians, and what do folks like me look for when inviting young people
to join such a Mission Community? Lets take nine days and I will share a thought
each day which will lead to the answer to this question and a prayer which will ready
us to the Live the Mission!

A Thought from the Founder, St. Guido Conforti

My dear people, how can we obtain this grace? There is no doubt that God is ready to grant
it to all, He won it for all through the sufferings and the Blood of His only-begotten Son, and
He shall give all an abundant and gratuitous share in it; the condition for obtaining this
grace is that we ask for it in prayer.
Ordinarily, therefore, there is no salvation for the Christian without prayer; grace and prayer
are inseparable, writes the greatest Doctor of the Church. To deny the necessity of grace is
the same as denying the necessity of prayer. Show me a man who has no need of divine grace
and I shall grant you that he has no need of prayer. This is why the God of all kindness said:
Without me you can do nothing [John 15:5]; He also added: It is necessary to pray always
without ceasing - oportet semper orare et nunquam deficere [Luke 18:1]. Furthermore: Watch
and pray, ask, seek, insist, pray at all times and in all places [see Matt. 26:41; Luke 21:36].
Portion taken from Homily on the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6, 1913

Day 2. What difference is there from the ordinary baptized Catholic and the one who is part
of a mission community such as the Xaverians?
The difference is that we engage the grace of Mission that we received at Baptism under a particular charism of another faithful disciple. In the
case of the Xaverian Missionaries, that disciple is
our founder, St. Guido Conforti, Bishop of Parma
Italy from 1906 to 1931.
But St. Guido was not
just the Bishop of the
local church of Parma,
Italy. His heart and concern was global. The
global vision of his episcopal ministry was unique for his time,
but became a standard for Bishops since Vatican II. Some say
that he was a bishop without frontiers. One of his favorite admonitions to us is to foster the ability to have a spirit of living faith
which enables us to see God, to seek God, to love God in all.

Prayer of St. Guido Conforti for those discerning a life as a

Consecrated Religious Missionary
Oh Jesus,
You died for the salvation of all and founded the Church to continue
the work of redemption on earth.
Increase, we ask you, the number of those who preach the Gospel,
Strengthen them in their ministry, sanctify their service,
so that those who have not yet received the gift of faith,
may soon come to know You and love You on earth, and
Enjoy You eternally in Heaven. We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
AMEN!

Day 3. What do folks like me look for when inviting young

people to join a Mission Community such as the Xaverians?
I look for young people who share that same global vision
and zeal for witnessing the person of Jesus Christ beyond our
borders and cultures. St. Guido had a lively faith, on fire with
a passion for Christ and a passion for humanity. We have a
banner at theGYM which says

Passion for ChristPassion for Humanity.

St Francis Xavier, the missionary that Bishop Conforti offered us as our model
and patron was very zealous. So, I am looking for zealous folks!!!!

O God, who through the

contemplation of the Cross,
imprinted on the heart of St. Guido Maria Conforti a burning love for the
proclamation of the Gospel to all
nations,
Grant that, through his
intercession, we too may be filled by the
same love of Christ,
to constantly work for the salvation of all
our brothers and sisters.
Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever. AMEN

www.xaviermissionaries.org
frrocco@xaviermissionaries.org

Day 4. So, who am I looking for?

I look for young people with that same desire
to share that fire and passion for the Lord to
others, all others no matter the cultural background, country, religious persuasion, etc.
Our Mission is rooted in the love we have for
Jesus Christ and our commitment to share this
new life that he offers us through his sacrificial passion, death and resurrection. That fire
and passion in faith needs to be real. It needs
to joyful. It needs to be simple.
The person who founded our Xaverian Missionary Sisters of Mary,
American born Venerable Celestine Healy Bottego, describes for her
sisters what she understands when she is asked about her habit! Let
your charity be your habit! (from the
very beginning of their community, the
sisters chose to wear simple house
dresses only) It cant get any simpler
than that!!! The Love of Christ Impels
us, St. Paul says in one of his letters.
Are you compelled to Love.. Compelled to witness the personification of
love, Jesus Christ!!?

www.xaviermissionaries.org
frrocco@xaviermissionaries.org

Day five
So who am I looking for to join us in
Mission Ad Gentes (to the nations!)
I am looking for young people who can
trust the call that God invites us to respond to.
Unlike marriage, we do not choose the partners
in mission that are members of our communities both in the micro (our local communities) or
the macro (our international membership). We
each respond to the charism and the mission that
our communities hold as unique individuals but
the community has the Mission, thus we are challenged to meld diverse cultures, age, customs and
visions into communities of faith and service, becoming a powerful witness of Gods dream to
make of our world one family. We are challenged
to become strangers to what we once found familiar and become familiar with what many still find
foreign and threatening. Ones personal story of
faith and mission becomes a communal story of
faith and mission. Be part of our story!
www.xaviermissionaries.org
frrocco@xaviermissionaries.org

Day six.
(four more days to on this prayer
journey!!!)
So, who am I looking for?
I am looking for young people
who can love love themselves, love the Lord, love the
other no matter if the other is
the stranger, the enemy, the
Muslim or Jain, or the many
that our societies and cultures
marginalize. We are called to
love and be love.
Prayer composed by St. Guido Conforti asking for attentiveness to Fraternal Charity in our communities.

O Jesus, You urge our communities

To live by your teachings and witness to your Gospel.
We ask you to help us love one another in a spirit of mutual understanding,
acceptance and service, that others
may recognize your presence in our
midst
You who live and reign forever and
ever. AMEN.

www.xaviermissionaries.org
frrocco@xaviermissionaries.org

Day seven

Three , tatlong, tre, uku, drei, tribus, ,ba , ,tres more days
before this prayer is done!!!!
So, who am I really looking for
to join us in Mission Ministry!!!

I am looking for young people who are

flexible with their religious thought but
grounded in their faith in Jesus Christ
and our Church, free enough to know the
reality of God, but aware that God is bigger
than all our attempts to understand God,
thus being open to the various faith expressions of believers in God of whatever
name in order to dialogue and be with others without fear.
Grant us, Lord,
That openness of sprit and wisdom of heart with which You endowed Your servant, St. Guido Maria Conforti.
Grant that You Church may be able to discern the signs of the times and so resist what is contrary to the Gospel upholding the action of Your Spirit in the
hearts of all Your peoples.
We ask you this prayer through the intercession of Guido Maria Conforti, Your
faithful servant and through Christ our companion and Savior. AMEN
www.xaviermissionaries.org
frrocco@xaviermissionaries.org

Day EIGHT

Two more days !!!! So, what is that question

again? who am I looking for to get involved in
Mission Ministry?
I look for young people
who have engaged in Mission through their youth
groups or campus ministries,
young people who have chosen to spend a week or
more among the poor in Appalachia, in the poorer
sections of our cities, in Haiti or beyond rather than
on a fun vacation in some exotic locale. They have
seen in brief the wonder of mission as solidarity with
those who have less in things, but more in joy, received more than they had given in service to those
they met, understood the call to mission service that
finds its power not in money or opportunity but in
people and relationships.
O God, our Father,
You have given us in Christ Your living Word, Our
companion and model of service and mission.
Grant that your Holy Spirit may inspire us To listen
to the Gospel and act upon it, So that the whole
world may come to know You, And glorify Your
Name.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
www.xaviermissionaries.org
frrocco@xaviermissionaries.org

Day NINE
This is it!! So, one last time! What is that question
again? who am I looking for to get involved in Mission
Ministry? Really!!!
I look for young people who
appreciate roughing it, choosing a simple life style and shared goals and means
which enables a community of faith to be
formed and enjoyed. These young people
are not concerned about the ME but the
WE and their we include people of various cultures, customs and countries.
Let me repeat the challenge. Ones personal story of faith, rooted in the baptismal call and mission becomes a communal
story of faith and mission. Be part
of our story!
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name;
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will
be done on earth as it is in
Heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread; and forgive us our
trespasses as we forgive those
who trespass against us; and
lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.
www.xaviermissionaries.org
frrocco@xaviermissionaries.org

Gracious and merciful God, we pray that

through the Holy Spirit all may hear the call
to Mission and seek a deeper relationship
with your Son, Jesus Christ
We pray that Mission will renew the Church,
inspiring all to go forth and make disciples
of all nations and transform society
through the power of the Gospel.
We pray for all members of the Church that
we heed the words of Christ do not be
afraid and strengthened by the Holy Spirits
gift of courage, give witness to the Gospel
and share our faith with others.
We pray that all people yearning to know
Christ and the Church may encounter him
through the faithful who witness to his love in
their lives
Loving God, our Father, strengthen us to become
witnesses to the saving grace of your Son, Jesus
Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you , in
the Unity of the Holy Spirit, One God, forever
and ever.
AMEN

www.xaviermissionaries.org
frrocco@xaviermissionaries.org