Father Benny Piovan, Pastor of the Mississippi sponsored Catholic Mission in Saltillo, Mexico, was in Mississippi this week to make an urgent Mission Appeal.
His appeal is as follows: " Dear People of the Catholic Diocese of Biloxi, Ms.
I am writing you today to make a special appeal to your generosity on behalf of the San Miguel Mission in Saltillo, Mexico, which you sponsor as a Diocese. First of all here is a brief background on how the mission was started and of your involvement and commitment to support it.
The Saltillo Mission was established in 1969 when Fr.Patrick Quinn of the Diocese of Natchez--Jackson was sent by then Bishop Brunini under the invitation of then Pope Paul VI. Fr. Quinn started his mission at Our Lady of Perpetual Help--Perpetuo Socorro and stayed there as Pastor until he died on January 9, 1997. At his death the parish was divided and the task and work of the mission was transferred to San Miguel. Msgr. Michael Thornton from Biloxi served as pastor there for 7 years. When the one Catholic Diocese of Mississippi was divided into the two now existing Catholic Dioceses of Jackson and Biloxi, the respective bishops agreed to continue sponsoring and supporting the San Miguel Mission mainly in two ways: shared financial assistance and by supplying a pastor on a rotating term of 6 years. When Msgr. Michael Thornton's term was up, the Diocese of Jackson sent Fr. William Cullen who stayed 3 years. Then because of his health he returned to Jackson, and to complete his remaining three (3) years, Bishop Latino sent Fr. Richard Smith, who served two (2) years. Then because of lack of priests Bishop Latino called him back to Jackson, and asked me (Fr. Benjamin Piovan) to take his place to complete the one (1) year left for the Jackson Diocese term.
I arrived at San Miguel Mission on the 18th day of November, 2006. Fr. Cullen left Saltillo on January 15th, 2007 and Fr. Smith arrived at that time, and left when recalled on January 6, 2009. My background is: born in Italy (Padova) in 1936, Ordained as a Salesian priest in 1964. Incarnated into the Archdiocese of New Orleans in 1973 and now retired and serving as a missionary at San Miguel in Saltillo since November 18, 2006. All during the years of the mission of the one diocese then two dioceses of Mississippi continued to sponsor the mission financially and until two years ago with many groups visiting the mission during the spring break and mostly in the summer weeks. Then two years ago these visits were suspended as you well know because of the insecurity and violence which we experience in Mexico (and here in the states as well).
The financial support of the Saltillo Mission depend mostly on the donations of the 2nd collection which each diocese take up in January each year for the mission.
It takes about $150,000.00 a year to run the Saltillo Mission with each diocese agreeing to contribute half. Last year (2010) the collection came on the heels of the one for the people of Haiti with the total for the Saltillo Mission of about $40,000. This past January 2011 the collection amounted to about $30000.00. With things as they are we at the Mission just cannot make it. In your well known generosity could you please have either this summer or this fall 2011 a FUND GAP Collection to help us out through this year 2011?
Personally I am retired. I do not receive a penny of stipend from the Mississippi Dioceses. I am not a financial burden on the Biloxi Diocese for my medical or any other expenses. My personal pension benefits I put all into the mission so that we can keep going and doing the Work of Evangelizing for the poor people of this desert, semi-desert area of Saltillo. Many of you and your teenagers have visited this area at one time or another, so you know what the conditions are."
I plead you PLEASE HELP!
God Bless you,
Fr. Benny
Your Missionary in Saltillo
My phone number in Mexico: #011 52 844 482 5882
My email address: bennyinmex@yahoo.com
Follow us on Facebook at Saltillo Mission San Miguel
Parroquia San Miguel Arcangel
Avenido Central 4649 y Calle 44
Col. Vista Hermosa
Codigo Postal 25010
Saltillo, Coah., Mexico
