Next weekend, we welcome Fr. Paulus Wawan, S.X. of the St. Francis Xavier Missionaries at all of our Masses as part of the annual Missionary Cooperation Plan.
Fr. Wawan was born and grew up in Indonesia as a part of a Buddhist family. The loss of his younger sister was what touched him and his family to convert to Christianity. During their mourning and some of the most difficult moments of their lifetime, he experienced the tangible presence of God through the support and help of Christian neighbors. This loving and caring witness of Christians triggered and touched him to answer God’s call to bring hope, love, mercy and compassion to the whole world.
In 2007, Fr. Wawan graduated from the Catholic Theological Union (Chicago, IL). Immediately after his ordination, he was sent as a missionary to Taiwan—China. He was involved in various pastoral, cultural, and social fields of ministry. In October, 2016, he began a new experience: serving mentally and physically challenged children in southern China. This experience touched him so deeply that it pushed him to come back to the U.S. (in July, 2018) to go back to school in order to broaden and enhance his knowledge and understanding with mental health issue. Currently, he lives in the Xaverian Missionaries Community in Franklin, Wisconsin. He is willing to share his mission experience with anyone interested.
Being exclusively a foreign mission society, the Xaverian Fathers and Brothers depend greatly on proceeds from this collection.
Thank you
St. Mary, Cause of Our Joy Catholic Church 