Support for the missionaries of the Slovenian-Croatian Province SLC

Slovenia and Croatia. In missionary October, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians of the Slovenian-Croatian Province of Mary Help of Christians (SLC) illustrate the initiatives in support of the seven sisters who left as missionaries ad gentes and of the missions in general.

Every year, the Provincial Coordinator for the missions entrusts a missionary sister to a Community and then sends a letter in which she indicates to the missionary the Community that will pray for her, in order to be able to start an epistolary correspondence.

All the communities are then committed to collaborating with the missionary animation initiatives proposed at the local Church level (Slovenian and Croatian), and especially the Sisters involved in catechesis or  teaching Religion seek to invite children, young people, and families to adhere to them.

In Slovenia and Croatia there are many benefactors who give distance support to the neediest children through financial assistance to allow them to enroll in school and obtain professional training that qualifies them for a decent job.

Strong encouragement also comes from the Missionary Center of the local Church, that financially supports the missionaries, and also with World Mission Sunday, when  the parishes organize the “pro missions” lottery.

Furthermore, for several years now during the Advent season, the national campaign of Missionary Childhood called “Children for children” has been carried out. Throughout Advent, the catechists encourage the children to collect money in their “piggy banks” for other children in difficulty.

Immediately after Christmas, the Three Kings Campaign begins, in which the children dressed as Kings with the star of the Three Kings, visit the families of their town who wish to welcome them, sing Christmas carols, and tell stories taken from the Gospel. The offerings received are delivered to the parishes for the missions.

On St. Christopher Sunday in summer, the day in which cars are blessed, all drivers are invited to contribute a penny for each kilometer travelled to support the purchase of means of transportation for the missions. This campaign began in 1987 and, through the MIVA (Missionary Vehicle Association), the FMA missionaries received gifts of cars, boats, and other means of transportation useful for the mission in which they found themselves working.

Thanks to the Catholic radio Ognjišče, Carnival Saturday also has a missionary touch. In the morning program for children, a children’s carnival procession is organized and donations are collected for various missionary projects presented on previous Saturdays.

The girls of the three FMA University Schools are also encouraged to show solidarity and make their time available for others through volunteering in the oratory, collaborating with the missionary center at national level (Pot in Sled) or with a missionary experience for a short or long period with the Vides Association.

There is a strong missionary interest among the people, both on the part of young people and of entire families who have the desire to go and help where there is most need and to offer concrete help. When they return, they often express the joy of having received and learned more than they gave, and of having been welcomed in a mission land with joy and gratitude by the people they meet.

“Burning hearts, feet on the move” is the Pope’s message for World Mission Day. The missionaries know that they are not alone and that behind them there is a great multitude of people who, with burning hearts, open eyes, and feet on the earth, support them and invoke God’s blessing upon them.