Our faith in Christ, who became poor, and was always close to the poor and the outcast, is the basis of our concern for the integral

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1 Cordial greetings and good wishes to you from AMISALES, the Mission Development Office (MDO) of the Congregation of the Missionaries of Saint Francis de Sales in Rome. This Mission Office came into existence on 15 November The Mission and Vision of AMISALES is to be always on the side of the poorest of the poor. Jesus was born poor. He grew up in a poor family. He went about doing good to all and especially to the poorest of the poor. He healed the sick. He mingled with sinners and outcasts. He questioned the powerful and defended the weak and the abandoned. He gave his life as a ransom for many by dying on the cross to rise again to life. It is a challenge to live like Jesus, to think like Jesus and to act like Jesus. We need to reach out to the poor, to give life to them in order that they may be liberated from all forms of injustice and inhumanity. To sustain a lifestyle which excludes others, or to sustain enthusiasm for that selfish ideal, a globalization of indifference has developed. Almost without being aware of it, we end up being incapable of feeling compassion at the outcry of the poor, weeping for other people's pain, and feeling a need to help them, as though all this were someone else's responsibility and not our own (Pope Francis, EG, 54). Our faith in Christ, who became poor, and was always close to the poor and the outcast, is the basis of our concern for the integral development of society's most neglected members. Each individual Christian and every community is called to be an instrument of God for the liberation and promotion of the poor, and for enabling them to be fully a part of society ( Pope Francis, EG. 186, 187). The Congregation of the Missionaries of Saint Francis de Sales (MSFS), also known as the Fransalians was founded at Annecy, France in the year 1838 by the Servant of God Father Pierre Marie Mermier under the patronage of Saint Francis de Sales. Living the spirit and spirituality of Saint Francis de Sales in Mission ist the charism of the Congregation. Pioneering Foreign Missions, Education of the Young and Faith Formation are the three main apostolates of the Congregation. The Congregation has now over 1400 members working in 26 countries including 9 countries in Africa. Let me share with you some of our immediate concerns in the Missions especially in Africa and Asia.

2 AMISALES has initiated a program of Sponsorship at Distance Programme. We are co-ordinating this program from our office in Rome. We look forward to have more friends and benefactors for this program so that we can reach out to many more unfortunate children in Asia and in Africa and extend this program to our missions all over the world. You can sponsor a child in Africa or Asia pledging a small "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" (Mt.19.14) The Congregation is managing a number of Homes for Destitute Children in India and in several countries of Africa. The cost of maintaining these homes and educating the large number of children is indeed enormous. We are looking for potential benefactors to help us run these Homes more effectively. There are appeals coming from our African Missions to establish more such Homes for the poor and abandoned children. Your contributions are very precious for such a noble cause. Every child comes with the message that God is not yet tired of man ( Tagore )

3 In rural Sub-Saharan Africa millions of people share their domestic water sources with animals or rely on unprotected wells that are breeding grounds for pathogens. The Mission Office has received a number of applications from our Missions in Africa seeking financial help towards providing safe and clean drinking water in the remote villages of countries like Chad and Tanzania. Any contribution towards this noble cause of providing clean drinking water to the villages in Africa will be much appreciated. Safe and clean drinking water is a Human Right On 28 July 2010, through Resolution 64/292, the United Nations General Assembly explicitly recognized the human right to water and sanitation and acknowledged that clean drinking water and sanitation are essential to the realisation of all human rights. "The children who have no clean water to drink, the women who fear for their safety, the young people who have no chance to receive a decent education have a right to better, and we have a responsibility to do better. All people have the right to safe drinking water, sanitation, shelter and basic services." ( Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General). There are many people who can do big things, but there are very few people who will do the small things. (Blessed Teresa of Calcutta)

4 You can help our missions in the far-off countries in Africa and Asia by supporting a seminarian. Make a contribution towards the cost of formation of a seminarian in India, Philippines or in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Mozambique, Chad, Cameroon and Zambia. We thank God for the numerous vocations we have in India, Africa and in the Philippines. The Congregation is depending very much on your generosity and sacrifices to accompany the numerous young men who would like to be missionary priests. For futher details: Integral human development, the development of every person and of the whole person, especially of the poorest and most neglected in the community, is at the very heart of evangelization (John Paul II, Ecclesia in Africa, 68) The measurement of love is to love without measurement. (Saint Francis de Sales, Patron of the Congregation) Our Congregation has over 1000 priests. Majority of these priests are engaged in various ministries in the developing countries like India, Philippines, Brazil, Papua New Guinea besides 9 countries in the sub-saharan Africa. You can help our missionaries in these countries by sending us Mass Intentions. Your offerings are a great help for the upkeep of so many of our missions. The Congregation has a large network of educational institutions chiefly in India and in Africa. We are looking for help to establish several more schools in our newly opened missions where no such facilities are available. We are grateful to you and appreciate your generosity. Heart of education is the education of the Heart (Fr. Pierre Marie Mermier, Founder of the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales)

5 Foster Life Tanzania is a Non-profit Organization which was registered on December 5, 2011 at Arusha under the auspices of the Lumen Chrisi Institute, an MSFS undertaking for the whole of Africa. FosterLife is promoting human dignity and respect for life by various programs like Training the Trainers (TOT), seminars, awareness programmes on HIV/AIDS and drug addiction etc., with the help of a committed group of youth in and around Arusha. Foster Life Tanzania is to initiate agricultural and food sustainability projects through seminars on farming and also by establishing grain-banks in the villages. In order to improve the quality of life of women and other socially marginalized sections of the society, FosterLife Tanzania focusses on gender issues, conflict management and human rights. The long term vision of Lumen Christi Institute is to establish a full-fledged University to offer opportunities for the poorer sections of the people of Africa in the field of higher education. Thus Lumen Christi, as an undertaking of the entire Congregation of Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales is to become a catalyst for new evangelization, social transformation and renewal in Africa. LCI is very grateful to the numerous benefactors and well wishers who make generous contributions to the growth of the Institute. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly (Jn.10.10) The Mission Office is grateful to the numerous regular contributors of used stamps, coins and religious articles. We do appreciate their kind gesture of concern for the missions. We ask them to continue such support and rope in many more to do so. The proceeds of the sale of such articles are sent to the missions.

6 A number of appeals have come to this office seeking help for building chapels and small churches in some of the remotest mission stations in India and in Africa. Your generous contributions are solicited to help us celebrate with our people the MSFS YEAR OF MISSION more meaningfully. A Sunday Mass in progress under the cover of a mango tree! (Bero Mission in Chad) By our commitment to apostolate beyond the boundaries of our own countries and cultures, we take seriously the mission mandate of Jesus as understood by the early Church: Go into the whole world and preach the Gospel to the whole of creation (Mk.16.15). (MSFS Const. 3). Banco Posta: C/c No IBANIT38X / BIC BPPIITRRXXX