Faith

A full mailbox brings letters from -- and (hopefully) a bounty for -- the missions!

Propagation of the Faith

Friday, May 8, 2026Faith

As a child, one of my favorite times of the day was when Mr. Buonomo, our mailman, would pull up to our house. Although there was rarely anything for me, the possibility was still there, and it made me skip to meet him at the mailbox. Somehow, mail call -- even at work -- has never lost that thrill for me (although my office mates are probably grateful that I no longer skip to it!). The letters delivered now bring stories of the missions and the pictures that show how difficult the work of spreading the Gospel is in remote areas of the world.

Recently, I received a letter of thanksgiving from Bishop Jeevanandam Amalanathan from the Diocese of Kumbakonam, India. Bishop Jeevanandam has visited Boston in past years as part of the Missionary Cooperative Program. This year, representatives of his diocese will speak to the parishioners of Saint Raphael, Medford, Holy Rosary Shrine, Lawrence, Saint Mary, Georgetown, Saint Matthew, Billerica, and Saint Leonard and Saint Stephen, Boston.

We also had the good fortune to have Bishop Jeevanandam preach at our annual Archdiocesan World Mission Sunday celebration. It was a powerhouse of a homily!

In his recent missive, the bishop writes about the state of his diocese: 60 percent of his parishioners are of the Dalit caste; this means they are very poor. Most priests do not receive a monthly salary, which in Kumbakonam would be $125. The diocese is responsible for the upkeep and repair of every church, rectory, convent, school, hospital, and orphanage. They also provide food, clothing, and low-cost homes for many of their poor.

Evangelization is done primarily through the education ministry, where daily classroom prayers are allowed. Otherwise, "anti-conversion" laws prohibit efforts to pass the faith on to others. Catholic-run schools are still sought out by all faiths because of their higher levels of educational success than government schools.

And yet, amidst this laundry list of problems and challenges, the Diocese of Kumbakonam sent two of its best to be ordained to the priesthood here in Boston. After beginning their seminary training in India, now-Fathers Alwin Chinnappan and Valanarasu Newton William-Raj finished their studies at Saint John Seminary in Boston and were ordained by Cardinal Seán O'Malley, OFM Cap, in 2021. They serve (and are well-loved!) at the Catholic Parishes of Arlington and Saint Mary Parish in Winchester, respectively. That, dear readers, is a true missionary spirit -- giving from your own poverty.

Letters like this one are why, although I'm not going to the end of the driveway, at least my heart still skips when I get the mail.

- Maureen Crowley Heil is Director of Programs and Development for the Pontifical Mission Societies, Boston.