Missionaries: traditionally in foreign countries only?

[Kathryn_Ann]

Greetings,
My question here is about the correct use of a word, not to denigrate volunteers helping others.
What are your feelings about calling Americans “Missionaries” when their work does not take them out of the United States? I see that there are several definitions, such as “one that is sent by a church somewhere else, to do the work of the church,” and also, what I thought was the usual definition, “someone from a church sent to a foreign country…” etc.

I’m thinking of two things here: People from the Mormom church in Utah often spend the summer in our (American) city, as so called “missionaries.” My thought is that they are more accurately to be called “evangelists.”

I’m now reading about other religious representatives (sent from the U.S.) to various places in the U.S. (and often not in “rough, rural areas or city ghettos” but suburbs. Would the word “evangelist” in the one case or simply volunteer (or another word) be more correct? In the case of people offering medical services to people in their own country, does the term missionary really apply?
Again, I’m just surprised by the use of the word missionary instead of volunteer or evangelist, where the latter choices seem to better describe the work. One can certainly be a medical volunteer, for instance, in one’s own country. A person can “evangelize,” going door to door to spread their beliefs in his or her own country.
I welcome your thoughts on this, and also, do we Catholics use the term “missionary” as loosely nowadays, or do we usually mean the word to describe someone who leaves his or her own country to work in another?
Blessings on your day!
Kathryn Ann

 

[Kathryn_Ann]

I meant to add, I am looking for the official use of the word in our Catholic church. Do we restrict the title “Missionary” to those sent from one country to a different country? Also, I realize that in a broad sense, we are all missionaries in some regard, all our lives. My question is regarding how the church officially may or may not differentiate between the terms missionary, volunteer, evangelist (if we use that officially at all,) and would be grateful for your opinions.

 

[cjmclark]

I meant to add, I am looking for the official use of the word in our Catholic church. Do we restrict the title “Missionary” to those sent from one country to a different country? Also, I realize that in a broad sense, we are all missionaries in some regard, all our lives. My question is regarding how the church officially may or may not differentiate between the terms missionary, volunteer, evangelist (if we use that officially at all,) and would be grateful for your opinions.

I live in the Diocese of Charleston (SC), which is considered by the Church to be a “missionary diocese” (based on the small percentage of the population that is Catholic). So I think the term “missionary” is most properly applied to individuals who go where there aren’t a lot of Catholics (or members of whatever faith) in an effort to evangelize, regardless of whether or not they cross international borders. The Church is, after all, an international organization, so who’s to say that every parish isn’t a mission in its own right?

 

[Kathryn_Ann]

I live in the Diocese of Charleston (SC), which is considered by the Church to be a “missionary diocese” (based on the small percentage of the population that is Catholic). So I think the term “missionary” is most properly applied to individuals who go where there aren’t a lot of Catholics (or members of whatever faith) in an effort to evangelize, regardless of whether or not they cross international borders. The Church is, after all, an international organization, so who’s to say that every parish isn’t a mission in its own right?

Very interesting, thank you. May I ask, when you say “considered” a missionary diocese, is it officially listed as such? I understand that the term “missionary” could very well apply in many cases where there are few Catholics in an area where someone is bringing the Church’s message to people of other faiths.

It’s just that I’ve always heard the term expressed as denoting a person from one country serving in another one entirely*, thereby working internationally, across international borders. I believe what I’m looking for here is whether or not the Church is officially* calling a diocese such as yours “A Missionary Diocese,” for instance in bulletins, letters, etc. I appreciate your help and patience with my question very much. :angel1:

 

[felsguy]

You might find this link to the Glenmary Home Missioners helpful

glenmary.org/

A wonderful group of priests and brothers working exclusively in the US

 

[cjmclark]

Very interesting, thank you. May I ask, when you say “considered” a missionary diocese, is it officially listed as such? I understand that the term “missionary” could very well apply in many cases where there are few Catholics in an area where someone is bringing the Church’s message to people of other faiths.

It’s just that I’ve always heard the term expressed as denoting a person from one country serving in another one entirely*, thereby working internationally, across international borders. I believe what I’m looking for here is whether or not the Church is officially* calling a diocese such as yours “A Missionary Diocese,” for instance in bulletins, letters, etc. I appreciate your help and patience with my question very much. :angel1:

Yes, it is officially listed as such. Dioceses that are under-resourced for various reasons (usually due to a low Catholic population) are termed “missionary,” “mission” or “home mission” dioceses.

The group Catholic Extension assists mission dioceses in the US. You can see their map (and be surprised by how many dioceses are considered mission dioceses) here.

The USCCB has a map of US home mission dioceses here. Apparently Charleston is no longer considered a home mission by the USCCB but is still by Catholic Extension. Go figure. But that’s good news! It means that our diocese can finally provide basic pastoral services without having to rely on outside assistance.

The USCCB defines the term “home mission” here.

 

[Kathryn_Ann]

You might find this link to the Glenmary Home Missioners helpful

glenmary.org/

A wonderful group of priests and brothers working exclusively in the US

This is very helpful! Thank you very much.:angel1:

 

[Kathryn_Ann]

Yes, it is officially listed as such. Dioceses that are under-resourced for various reasons (usually due to a low Catholic population) are termed “missionary,” “mission” or “home mission” dioceses.

The group Catholic Extension assists mission dioceses in the US. You can see their map (and be surprised by how many dioceses are considered mission dioceses) here.

The USCCB has a map of US home mission dioceses here. Apparently Charleston is no longer considered a home mission by the USCCB but is still by Catholic Extension. Go figure. But that’s good news! It means that our diocese can finally provide basic pastoral services without having to rely on outside assistance.

The USCCB defines the term “home mission” here.

Thank you so much! I should have thought of Catholic Extension of course. This is very helpful to me!:heaven:

 

[Phemie]

I live in what was formerly a ‘missionary diocese’ – until it was suppressed and the territory distributed between three other dioceses. We were staffed by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, a missionary congregation. They do do missionary work outside of Canada and the US (South America and Africa come to mind) but they also do missionary work in remote areas of Canada, in many aboriginal communities and even in parishes in Toronto. Their charism as missionaries is not limited by territory.

 

[Chatter163]

One could say that the priests we receive here from Africa and India are missionaries, because we no longer have enough priests here, just as we used to send them missionary priests for a smiliar reason. :whacky:

 

[Kathryn_Ann]

I live in what was formerly a ‘missionary diocese’ – until it was suppressed and the territory distributed between three other dioceses. We were staffed by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, a missionary congregation. They do do missionary work outside of Canada and the US (South America and Africa come to mind) but they also do missionary work in remote areas of Canada, in many aboriginal communities and even in parishes in Toronto. Their charism as missionaries is not limited by territory.

Thank you! This was very informative. Many blessings on your day!

 

[Kathryn_Ann]

One could say that the priests we receive here from Africa and India are missionaries, because we no longer have enough priests here, just as we used to send them missionary priests for a smiliar reason. :whacky:

I’ve always thought of the priests we receive from other countries as exactly that, because they come to us from outside their own areas. We are very blessed to have them!:angel1: