Songs and prayers in many Pacific languages filled Sacred Heart Cathedral on a warm spring evening in Wellington on Sunday, 18 October for the Mission Sunday Caritas Oceania Forum Mass.
The church was full for the 7pm Mass. As the service progressed, the pastel-toned sunset outside made the cathedral’s windows glow pink, purple, blue and gold.
Joining Archbishop Paul at the Mass were Cardinal John, and the Caritas Oceania representatives including Cardinal Soane Mafi of Tonga, Archbishop Peter Loy Chong of Fiji, Bishop Richard Laurenson from the Diocese of Hamilton, and Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand CEO Mena Antonio.
Songs and prayers were in Te Reo, Samoan, Tonga, Fijian, Hiri Motu (from Papua New Guinea), and English.
In delivering his homily, Archbishop Paul spoke of how we all belong to God, and how people from different backgrounds can work together in genuine communion.
“Mission begins with our relationship with Jesus Christ.”
He also spoke of the importance of recognising and respecting our shared humanity.
“Every human person bears the dignity of being created in the image of God.”
World Mission Sunday is a day set aside by the Catholic Church to publicly renew a commitment to missionary movements. It is celebrated every year on the second-to-last Sunday of October
This year held extra significance, as the Catholic Church celebrated the first World Mission Sunday in 1926.
A special collection was also held to support missionary movements around the world while a video message from Pope Leo was played.
