-          A priest in India has forty or more substations in his parish, each of them in the care of a local catechist, far from the parish centre. He requests a bicycle for each of his catechists, enabling them to come together for training and mutual support.

-           A mission hospital in Tanzania faces a problem with termites slowly destroying the walls of the dispensary in an isolated area where Government help is minimal. The Sisters need to rebuild and relocate the dispensary, making their work more accessible and effective.

-           A parish in Ghana has just set up a new outstation with a catechist and needs a school in a village where there is a vibrant faith community. If a chapel and school could be built, this isolated village could become a strong nucleus of a Church for the future.

-          A local Congregation of sisters in Zimbabwe wants to establish a small community in a remote village.  There is no readily available water supply. A borehole would enable the Sisters to settle in the village and help provide a water supply to people who currently have to walk long distances to a crocodile-infested river in order to fill a few clay pots, buckets and plastic containers.

Throughout the year, and especially on World Mission Sunday, every country in the world contributes towards the ongoing support of the young Churches in the developing world. It is an ongoing, tangible, sign of the Church’s global unity and solidarity.

Worldwide, many hopes and dreams are pinned on your generosity on World Mission Sunday which this year is celebrated on 19 October. Many mission dioceses would be forced to close without the help they receive through these collections.

The Association for the Propagation of the Faith (APF), which coordinates Mission Sunday, is the ONLY Church organisation that supports the growth and development of ALL of the 1,075 Mission dioceses worldwide. The money raised throughout the world on Mission Sunday helps support 194,855 schools, 5,246 hospitals, 17,530 dispensaries, 577 leprosy centres and 80,560 social and pastoral projects.

Across the world and especially in the rapidly-expanding Church in Africa and Asia, these young churches, which often face extreme difficulties, urgently need YOUR support if they are to accomplish even some of the most mundane tasks ... such as turning on a tap for a drink of water.

According to the latest data, the Catholics of England and Wales are amongst the most generous in the entire world: the Red Box and the World Mission Sunday collections in England and Wales in 2007 raised a massive £3.06 million!!!! Malta and Luxembourg were the only countries that, per capita, gave more.

Bishop Patrick Lynch, for the Overseas Mission Committee of the Bishops said, 'Congratulations and heartfelt thanks to everyone. This is a remarkable achievement in any terms, and shows the utter commitment of our two countries to spreading the Gospel and building the Church – especially among the poor. Well done. On World Mission Sunday, your prayers and generosity will help people to see Jesus. This year, the needs are greater. We need your help, involvement and prayers more than ever before. Is there anything better that you could do than give life and hope to others?'