By Msgr. John E. Kozar

An Anniversary With a Challenge

Reflections on 100 years of being 'mission independent'

Throughout this calendar year, the Church in our country is celebrating the 100th anniversary of our being ''mission independent.'' This means that, prior to 1908, the Church here at home was considered too young and undeveloped to meet our own pastoral and evangelization needs. We had to rely on missionaries and financial support from the Catholics of Europe to cover our operational expenses and missionary outreach.

America was one of the first recipients of financial assistance from the Society of the Propagation of the Faith. From 1822 until 1908, we were the biggest beneficiaries of the collective charity of the rest of the Catholic world. Even though we received this assistance from Europe, we sought to contribute our share, starting with our humble first-time gift of $6 in 1833.

With the grace of God and the infusion of faith brought here by missionaries during that time period, we flourished and were blessed in propagating the faith in this country; so much so, that in 1908 Rome determined that we were no longer a mission country. We were now ready not only to assume our own financial responsibilities and meet our own pastoral and evangelization needs, but also to reach out and send missionaries and financial support to faraway places in the name of Jesus.

Influenced My Vocation

In the years that have followed, we have sent thousands of priests, Religious brothers and sisters, and lay men and women to every corner of the world. I can still remember the thrill of having such a missionary come to my elementary school classroom. The larger-than-life stories of their witness to our Lord in foreign lands greatly influenced my vocation, creating a missionary heart in me long before ordination.

Also since our ''mission independence'' in 1908, Catholics here at home have returned the generosity we received many hundredfold, supplying the largest percentage of material assistance for the missionary Church universal.

Pentecost continues in our time, and it does take some interesting turns. As we celebrate this anniversary of being 100 years mission independent and mission sending, we face the reality that we are quickly becoming a mission land once again, since with our own vocational limitations, we cannot meet all of our own needs as a national church. America has reached out to mission lands, such as India, Nigeria, Ghana, Indonesia, Colombia and many others, seeking the help of missionaries in meeting our own evangelization needs. Thousands of priests, brothers and sisters have answered the call of the Holy Spirit in Pentecost to come to our shores as missionaries once again.

Some of these ''new missionaries'' are priests offering vital service in parishes throughout the United States. We salute them and thank them for their service to the Church in our country.

Anniversary Challenge

Now comes the challenge that grows out of this anniversary -- one that will hopefully lead to sharing blessings with the people in your parishes and the communities you serve through your priesthood.

What about involving your parishioners, especially young people, in the Pentecost story of the Church in the United States? Share with them the rich history of how the faith came to our national shores, to our region, to our diocese and even to our particular parish. There are many interesting and even heroic tales to tell.

And what about the thousands from foreign lands now serving in our country? Why not invite these modern-day missionaries to convey their stories of the faith to Catholics here at home? These priests, Religious and lay people are encyclopedias of the ''Good News'' of Jesus.

In my own visits to other continents, I have heard some compelling stories of the faith -- stories that can also inspire Catholics here at home.

Sang the Lord's Praises

I remember a seven-year-old girl who was almost stoned to death, and her family as well, just for singing religious hymns. She grew up in a tribal part of India where she could receive an education only by living in a hostel with Religious sisters far from her home. On weekends when she would be with her family, she sang the Lord's praises in songs she learned from the Sisters. She was told to cease and desist, or she and her family could be killed. She was not afraid and continued to express her love for Jesus.

In another part of Asia, I visited the only Catholic parish in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, arriving there just a few months after the devastating tsunami of December 2004. Only 40 survivors remained at the parish, the others having either drowned in the floodwaters or fled to safety. One survivor, a nursing assistant, lost her entire family that had gathered for a birthday party on that fateful day. She described the horror of being in a ''huge black wave for an eternity.'' After taking stock of her complete loss, she decided to dedicate her life to serving Christ and the Church as a missionary, an appropriate response in her mind for God's saving action in her own life. She wanted to share with others the ''good news'' of God's ceaseless, saving love.

In Malawi, there are two missionary priests described by one visitor there as the ''superhero team.'' They run an orphanage, a vocational school, and programs for AIDS awareness. When they first arrived, AIDS struck one of every six young people. Three years later, that number is drastically reduced. Each day, these priests save lives and bring people to Christ through dedication and compassion.

Likewise the local Sisters I met in Thailand are also on rescue missions through their center for girls in the northern part of that country. Some of the 50 girls living at Good Shepherd Center have lost parents to AIDS; others have been rescued from human trafficking and slavery. The Sisters embrace the pain of these young women, offering them the fullness and truth of Jesus' love. The Sisters also go into the villages near the center, running outreach programs for HIV / AIDS. Most importantly they teach about trafficking so the people ''will know when the danger comes.'' With each act of charity and kindness, Christ's love shines through them.

Rich Mission History

World Mission Sunday offers a unique opportunity to celebrate our own vocation, by baptism, to be missionaries, and to recommit ourselves and encourage others to be an active part of the continuing mission story. This anniversary year, especially on the next-to-last Sunday of October, tell the people in your parishes about America's rich mission history. Help them to discover the faith stories in Africa and Asia, the Pacific Islands and remote regions of Latin America where the Church is developing today. Let these stories inspire you -- and them. In this way, be a unique and vital part of our Church's celebration of 100 years of ''mission independence,'' even as we welcome missionaries to our shores once again.

As a brother priest, I offer a prayer for us all. May we priests, as the late Pope John Paul II challenged, always ''have the mind and heart of missionaries.'' May the Lord bless you and those you serve! TP

MSGR. KOZAR is the National Director of the Pontifical Societies in the United States with headquarters in New York.