This year the holy mass and homily will be celebrated by a priest from the Missionaries of St. Francis, otherwise known as the Fransalians. Although their congregation was founded in Annecy, France in 1837, as missionaries, their major presence is now in Asia and Africa along with new missions in South America.  

They are now globally present in 29 counties with 12 provinces, one region and four delegations with total membership of more than 1500 confreres. Their main missionary charism is the pioneering evangelization in the non-evangelized countries and the education of the less privileged youth through children’s homes and orphanages. More then 3500 economically poor, semi orphan or orphan children are cared for and educated in their 93 children’s homes both in India and Africa. 

The Fransalians are also acibve in the Phillipines, Ecuador, Indonesia and Brazil where they promote and train missionary vocations to prepare individuals for both pioneering evangelization and the renewal of Christian life in different countries and are actively engaged in the empowerment of women and the marginalized.

This is an opportunity for us to connect with the work of the larger church.  Please be generous in your giving to this important and worthwhile mission.  As usual, there will be no second collection.  All loose change and bills as well as any checks with "mission" in the memo section will be forwarded to the archdiocese for disbursement.  Please make checks payable to St. Joseph with "mission" in the memo section as this will allow us to process them and keep your name from being added to mailing lists.

Thank you for your response to this annual appeal,

Fr. Rod