Dear Friends,
I have been praying that 2022 will be the year that people from all around the world have their lives return to normal. This recent pandemic has gripped the entire globe and has held people, churches, communities, and employers as hostages. The good news is that we have learned to come together to help save lives and to make extraordinary sacrifices to keep family members, friends, and neighbours safe and healthy.
Despite nearly three years of listening to world news focusing on the pandemic, there are other good news stories. I recently read that, in 2019, the world’s population was approximately 7.580 billion and in 2002, it was approximately 6.220 billion. During this period of 17 years, the number of identified Catholics increased from 1.070 billion to approximately 1.344 billion.
I am very pleased to learn that Catholics are dramatically increasing worldwide. This demonstrates that the relentless work of missionary Priests, Religious Sisters, and Brothers, of spreading the gospel of Christ, is reaching millions of people throughout the world.
We must continue to provide our steadfast support for missionaries working in challenging regions and making sacrifices. This shows that one’s Faith and determination can make a difference.
“It was also Peter who, after Pentecost, risked his life to do the Lord’s work, speaking boldly of his faith in Jesus”.
Like St. Peter the Apostle, these faithful and dedicated missionary Priests, Religious Sisters, and Brothers, have been serving the Lord and providing tremendous leadership and commitment that has resulted in this amazing growth in the number of Catholics worldwide. The Holy Father’s mission of evangelization and spreading the gospel of Jesus is being truly accomplished.
Supporting seminaries demonstrates your Faith!
Investing in seminaries must continue in different parts of the world. As the number of people congregate and come together to learn about Christ, the need to build new churches and train more priests and religious follow. As Christians, we must continue to grow and evangelize all around the world…this is very positive news!
St. Augustine’s Millennium Seminary is in Tamale, Ghana. The number of priests graduating from this seminary grows every year, but unfortunately, there is no regular running water. As a result, seminarians make countless trips to fetch water from streams, and this daily routine has been going on for years. The seminary is, therefore, seeking financial help to drill water boreholes.
Fortunately, heavy-duty equipment to drill boreholes in northern Ghana has become more accessible.
Missionaries do not have much and live simple lives, let’s help them have access to fresh water.
Drilling a borehole will provide fresh water to the seminary and also benefit the local villagers. It is an important project that needs your support. Fresh water is the lifeblood in any community. Please donate generously through St. Peter the Apostle Society to provide clean water to St. Augustine’s Millennium Seminary. Thank you, may the good Lord bless and keep you.
Yours in the service of Christ,
Rev. Fr. Alex Osei, C.S.Sp.
National Director