Over 600 Catholic school students and others from throughout the Springfield diocese attended the annual Mission Mass celebrated Oct. 22 by Bishop Thomas John Paprocki at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield. The students, their parents/drivers, teachers and principals were joined by missionaries and missions supporters, to comfortably fill much of the cathedral.
"We gather together today to pray that the mission of the church will continue to spread and those who dedicate their lives to this mission may be strengthened and encouraged by our support," Bishop Paprocki said in his welcome remarks.
Concelebrants at Mass were Monsignors Carl Kemme and John Ossola; and Fathers John Burnette, Zachary Edgar, Stephen Thompson and Jerry Wickenhauser, MM. Father Brian Alford was master of ceremony and Deacon Terrence Ellerman from Quincy assisted at the altar.
In his homily, Bishop Paprocki spoke about the mission of the church and how Blessed Pope John Paul II, whose feast was celebrated that day, supported the missions during his nearly 27 years as pope.
"He truly was a missionary pope in every sense of the word and the church is grateful for the impact that he has made on the church throughout the world," Bishop Paprocki said. "Among his many great contributions to the church's mission was his encouragement to young people, like yourselves, to understand that they too are called to be a part of the mission of the church."
During the awards ceremony at the end of Mass, Vicki Compton, director of the Office for the Missions, announced that for the second year in a row, the artwork of a student from the Springfield diocese was chosen as one of the 24 designs which will be available on the Missionary Childhood Association website to be sent as e-greetings during Advent and Christmas this year. Luke Schnaak from St. Ambrose School in Godfrey was the artist.
"Luke's family has moved out of state, but we have a framed replica of his design on display," Compton said.
Winners of the awards for highest per capita donations to the Missionary Childhood Association were: St. Louis School, Nokomis, first place; St. Mary School, Paris, second place; St. Mary School, Brussels, third place; Blessed Sacrament School, Springfield, fourth place; and St. Agnes School, Springfield, fifth place.
"We are nearly at the end of the Year of Faith that our church has been celebrating," Compton told students. "But how could we ever end a Year of Faith? Every year is a year of faith and every day is a chance to share that faith. Blessed John Paul II, whose feast we celebrate today, knew that every day was a new opportunity to talk about Jesus, whether he was traveling across the globe to speak to millions or talking to a few gathered in the same room.
"Let us follow his example and take every opportunity to know and befriend Jesus and then share that relationship with all we encounter."
Brother Ulrich Schmidt, FFSC, superior general of the Franciscan Brothers of the Holy Cross from the order's motherhouse in Hausen, Germany, attended the Mission Mass with brothers from the community's monastery near Riverton. "I was very impressed to see such a large gathering of Catholic school children from across the diocese here in support of the missions. This was very good to see."