Mission Circle

I. Purpose:

A Mission Circle is a volunteer group of Catholics who support our lay missionary/evangelists by "adopting an evangelist". This adoption would include not only financial support, but also spiritual support through prayer and penance. It would also include getting to know the adopted evangelist, on going knowledge of how his or her evangelism work is progressing, maybe something about his personal situation, sharing experience about what is working or not working in Taiwan with their own communities, etc. In this way each member of the Mission Circle can participate in a more personal way as partners with our Chinese Lay Missionaries.

II. Financial Goal of Each Circle:

Since it takes about US$20,000 per year per evangelist for salary, insurance, retirement, transportation and equipment, US$20,000 per year is the financial goal of each Mission Circle.

III. Structure:

Each Circle is made up of Cells. Ideally the members of each Cell should know each other and live in the same general geographical area. Normally each cell should have a Cell Coordinator. Each member of each Cell should give financial support of at least 500US$ per year and the minimum total donation per Cell should be 2,500US$.

The number of Cells per Mission Circle will depend upon the number of members of each Cell and the donation each member is able to make. Hence, some Cells might have ten members who donate 1,000US$ each, or twenty members who donate 500US$ each, or five members who donate 500US$ each. The minimum number of Cells per Circle would be one; the maximum number would be eight. The final arrangement of Cells to form a complete Mission Circle will be the responsibility of Yvonne Chow.

IV. Responsibilities

A. Circle Members: In addition to the minimum financial support indicated above, the responsibility of each member of the Mission Circle is to support the lay missionary through prayer, penance and human encouragement. Direct, first proclamation evangelism is a very difficult mission and it deeply needs the spiritual and human support of the Mission Circle members. The financial commitment is made for one year; but we hope some individual members and Cells will be able to make longer two to three year commitments.

B. Cell Coordinators: to recruit Circle members into his/her Cell, provide Yvonne Chow with basic contact information, to inform her of any change in status of Cell members.

C. Lay Missionary: The responsibility of the lay missionary is to periodically communicate with each supporting member their present missionary work, evangelism experience, difficulties and fruits of their mission. Further, the lay evangelist will share with Mission Circle members who are themselves working on evangelism programs, any non-copyrighted materials we have developed in Taiwan that might be helpful to them.

At least once a year Fr. Louis Aldrich will offer members of the Mission Circle both a chance for a weekend retreat and a one day workshop on "first proclamation" Evangelism. Attendance will be voluntary.