March 29.   Missionaries of mercy.    The Lord said, “I desire mercy not sacrifice.  Fr Oliver was himself a foreigner and in some ways he could identify more with his compatriots than with the local people.  The foreigners’ faith experience, way of worshipping and family life was different but important to them. Some families had been split up with the generations of adults and children divided, but many were also trying to build a new life in a foreign country. They are not always well accepted and therefore their church community and liturgy is really important and they are naturally inclined to stick to their own people.  In his ministry he realized that he had to find the way to balance welcoming, belonging and integration with their faith journey.  

Reflect, share and act. Scripture: The Lord said, “I desire mercy not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:1-6. Pope Francis:  Pastoral activity must be implemented with due respect for their cultures, for the human and religious formation from which they come and for the spiritual richness of their rites and traditions. AL 46.  JUBILEE.  Signs of hope should be present for migrants who leave their homelands behind in search of a better life for themselves and for their families. Their expectations must not be frustrated by prejudice and rejection. A spirit of welcome, which embraces everyone with respect for his or her dignity, should be accompanied by a sense of responsibility, lest anyone be denied the right to a dignified existence. Exiles, displaced persons and refugees, whom international tensions force to emigrate in order to avoid war, violence and discrimination, ought to be guaranteed security and access to employment and education, the means they need to find their place in a new social context.  SNC 13.   Choose an act of love and sacrifice from the list, also published at www.marfam.org.za