Ireland: RTÉ to broadcast television Mass for Mission Sunday

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This Sunday, 18 October, televised Mass will be broadcast from the RTÉ studios in Donnybrook to celebrate Mission Sunday, the worldwide day of prayer for the missions. Mission Sunday provides us with an opportunity to focus on the central teaching of Christ to "go and make disciples of all nations" (Matt 28:19).
 
The Mass will be broadcast on RTÉ 1 Television at 11.15am and Father Eamon Aylward SSCC of the Irish Missionary Union will be the celebrant. Fr Aylward will be joined by pupils of St David's Christian Brothers School, Artane and Christian Brothers School, Monkstown, under the banner of the Edmund Rice Schools Trust.
 
Prayers will be offered at the Mass for the safe and immediate release of Father Michael Sinnott, the Columban priest who was abducted last Sunday in the Philippines and for Ms Sharon Commins and Ms Hilda Kawuki, the two GOAL workers who were kidnapped in Darfur, Sudan, in July, and for all missionaries throughout the world including our 2,000 Irish-born missionaries serving in 83 developing countries.
 
Welcoming the broadcast of this special televised Mass for Mission Sunday, Bishop Colm O'Reilly, said: "Reach Out is the theme of Mission Sunday 2009 and it has taken on a new meaning inspired by the bravery of our Irish missionaries. Our prayers, and the generosity of our contributions, greatly support their work while affirming and strengthening missionaries in these difficult times. Let Father Sinnott, Sharon and Hilda and the many other Irish priests, religious and lay volunteers, be the focus of our prayers for this Mission Sunday."
 
To mark Mission month a special web feature is now available on:  www.catholicbishops.ie