Thank you in advance for your participation in the Diocese of Arlington Mission Office MCP.  Our prayers continue for your success in bringing the Word of God and bringing to life for our faithful the Missions.

Scheduling

• All Mission speakers for the Diocese of Arlington are expected to have foreign (not in the United States) Missionary experience, and talk about their ministries for the Mission appeals.  This is the reason your group was selected.
• Mission Appeal Weekends should be scheduled between May 15-September 15.
• Mission Organizations must contact Parish Pastors no later than April 30, whether by email, phone or letter, to arrange the date of the appeal. Your speaker must be available to preach at all parish Masses.
• Please choose your Mission speakers well - ensure that they can be understood clearly.
• Once you and the parish have agreed on a weekend to do the appeal please email Karen.ward@arlingtondiocese.org giving the dates of your appeal and the name of the missionary. Also, at that time, please attach a Letter of Suitability. A sample of the Priest Suitability Letter can be found here and adjusted for Sisters and Lay persons. Complete this information as soon as possible.

Two Weeks Before Appeal

• Please confirm your visit to the Parish two weeks prior to the agreed upon designated date and confirm details.
• Please provide a brochure or pre-printed information to the parish that describes the organization's service and ministry needs to be used to advertise your visit and appeal.

Weekend of Appeal

• Mission Group speakers may not distribute any materials at the Parish.  Speakers may not solicit magazine subscriptions, memberships, or in any way gather names and addresses while at the parish.  Your Mission group will not be invited to participate again if this happens.
• Solicitation for sponsorship of specific or named individuals (orphans, students, seminarians, etc.) is not allowed.
• For Priests Only: The homily is not to exceed ten to twelve minutes. Missionaries are asked to relate their missionary message to the Sunday readings, when possible. Please use specific examples of your life and work in mission countries.
• For non-clerical representation: the appeal presentation should be made after the prayer after Communion of the Mass.  You may ask the pastor to speak after the homily, however it is not a substitute.
• Since the Missionary Cooperation Plan is sponsored for the education of Catholics of the Diocese of Arlington, every church assigned should be visited.

Accommodations

• The speaker is expected to provide his/her own transportation to the parish.
• Accommodations at each parish are for the weekend ONLY.
• Missionaries who wish to reside in the parish rectory must make this known to the Pastor when suggesting a date for the appeal.
• Please respect the dates agreed upon. It may be the only vacation time some pastors have or the only weekend when missionaries are in the Diocese of Arlington.
• An important disclaimer: Parishes are not responsible for long distance calls, airline tickets, or car rental of missionaries unless agreed upon in advance.

Appeals

• Missionaries are not to accept the funds collected in a particular parish. If a parish sends a check directly to you please contact the parish and have them reissue the check to the Mission Office. Once all appeals have been made a composite check will be mailed to the diocese, congregation, or organization for the appeal.
• NO CHECK WILL BE WRITTEN TO AN INDIVIDUAL. Checks will be written in the name of the diocese, congregation, or organization. It will then be mailed to the US contact. Please let the Mission Office know if you need other accommodations for the funds to be processed.