(ANS – Orange) - The members of the 2018 USA Salesian Mission Band gathered in Orange, New Jersey, for a day of orientation coordinated by Salesian Missions USA and the Salesian Community of the Don Bosco Residence.  The orientation began with each missionary introducing himself and telling of his current mission ministry and whether this was his 1st time on the band or a veteran of how many years. The group then joined together in prayer, praying the World Mission Rosary. Following the rosary, veteran MCP preachers gave practical hints to those on the band for the first time. Fr. Mark Hyde gave the required “Safe Environment” training.

After lunch Fr. Mike Pace and Bro. Tom Sweeney welcomed the missionaries to the community of Orange and gave an orientation to the ins and outs of the community and various responsibilities. Then Mission office colleagues, Josephine Trapasso, Joann Oliva, and Kelli Bochnik met with the missionaries and dealt with the practicalities of their summer itineraries, air travel, cell phones, bank cards and Mass intentions.

Twelve Salesian missionaries hailing from Colombia, the Dominican Republic, India, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Zambia, and the USA form this year’s preaching band. In their assignments they will tell of the good accomplished by Salesian Missions in some 85 parishes assigned to us by the Propagation of the Faith in 28 dioceses throughout the United States.

The Mission Cooperation Plan (MCP) of the U.S. Catholic Church has a two-fold purpose.

First, many mission dioceses/congregations/ lay organizations get a chance to personally appeal for prayer and financial support from Catholics of the U.S.

Secondly, Catholics in the United States get the opportunity to be educated about what is happening in the mission fields today. MCP missionaries emphasize solidarity and understanding of situations that make life so difficult for so many people around the globe. The US Catholic Bishops through the MCP program call American Catholics: “to help overcome the divisions in our world. Solidarity binds the rich to the poor. It makes the free zealous for the rights of the oppressed. It drives the comfortable and secure to take risks for the victims of tyranny and war... “

A schedule of when and where our Salesian Missionaries will be preaching this summer can be found at http://www.salesianmissions.org/mcp