From the parish comes the announcement of the next Credo Café, which will take place on 21 November in St Joseph’s Church. Our parishioners Guy and Mia Coppens–De Keyzer will share their experiences from their missionary work in Bokonzi, Congo. There, they helped establish a hospital and a preschool from the ground up. After their testimony, there will be time for informal conversation over a drink. More information is available from the parish office.

Not only have we added several new articles to the website, we have also created a summary of the history and missions of all the countries to which our missionaries from Zutendaal were sent, as well as a summary of the religious congregations to which they belonged. Under each list, you’ll also find a short overview of all the individual missionaries connected to that country or congregation. In the category “Other Missionaries”, we include the founders of these missionary organizations and their life’s work, as well as a few other missionaries we may have looked up to as children...

Being a missionary means…
to be in solidarity with a people,
to breathe the same air,
to rejoice in their joys,
and to weep for their sorrow and pain.

Being a missionary means…
to build a Church side by side,
a refuge for the poor and the suffering,
to stand together against the evils of this world,
to stammer, like a prophet, the message of liberation,
to be crucified by the powerful of the earth,
to be called “mother” by the leper,
and “father” by the oppressed.

Being a missionary means…
day after day, in the midst of your own human weakness,
to repeat your “yes” to God,
to live with a single passion:
the Father of Jesus, and love for humankind.

Being a missionary means…
to be called and to be sent,
for a while here, for a time there,
to pass on your calling to others,
and to send them out in turn.

Being a missionary means…
to let go of everything like Abraham,
to search your way through the desert like Moses,
to sing a joyful Magnificat like Mary!

Being a missionary means… to grow old and worn, yet happy— because behind you, a young Church spreads its wings!