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Raising mission awareness in England Giving mission talks throughout England is one of hundreds of ways in which Medical Mission Sisters around the world try to be a healing presence to others today. Ten years ago, when Sister Daphne Norden returned home to England after many years overseas, she joined the Sisters’ Mission Committee and began making mission appeals in parishes. “I found the first year fascinating,” she remembers. “Even in places where many people had no work, either because of recession or because mines and factories had closed, they were amazingly generous in sharing their resources with us.” Sister Daphne adds, “I decided that I loved this form of mission and started to take on more parishes. My enthusiasm has been infectious, and I have been joined by a number of other Medical Mission Sisters. For those coming from overseas, it has been a good way to discover more of the local culture.” As Sister explains, “Our mission appeals are an effort to tell people what the different women’s mission societies are doing across the world and to emphasize that mission is not just for us, but for all baptized Christians.” In addition to financial assistance, our Sisters encourage parishioners to become involved with campaigns for justice, parish justice and peace groups, and development organizations. Sister Daphne was elected chair of the Sisters’ Mission Committee in England, and also of the Catholic Missionary Union. She also was invited to join the Bishops’ Committee for Overseas Mission and the editorial board of a mission periodical produced for the Pontifical Mission Society in England. She shares, “I have managed to combine giving mission appeals with being in local and sector leadership, which is a measure of how valuable I have found this mission.” “Through the appeals, I have been able to get in touch once more with my own culture and my own country. The nature of the work has challenged me to read more about current thought on mission. I have been a member of a number of ecumenical groups concerned with mission, both at home and overseas, which made me even more aware of being in mission everywhere,” Sister shares. “I have met many wonderful people and experienced great generosity, and this in itself is healing.” June 15, 2009
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