This year, St. Christopher's National Week will be celebrated from 20 to 27 July under the motto "With hope we carry Christ to the ends of the world". The main celebrations will be held on Sunday in the sanctuary of St John Paul II in Krakow. Last year, over PLN 599 1000 were collected as part of the run for means of transport for missionaries. MIVA Poland has implemented 128 projects in 35 countries worldwide.
The Holy Mass at 12.30 p.m., in the intention of drivers and benefactors of MIVA Polska, will be presided over by Bishop Leszek Leszkiewicz, the auxiliary bishop of Tarnów diocese. At 6 p.m. there is simply a evangelization performance "Praise the Lord all nations" performed by Schola ADONAI from Białystok. The program will include missionary testimonies.
The day before, July 19th, as part of the mission Saturday, Bishop Jan Piotrowski will preside at the shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki. He is the president of the Polish Mission Episcopal Conference.
The action of St. Christopher brings millions
The national celebrations are accompanied by the mission agency of the KEP Commission - MIVA Poland "Action of St. Christopher - 1 penny for 1 safe mile" for means of transport for missionaries. Victims are offered voluntarily by parishes and individual donors through direct and online payments.
Last year more than PLN 599 1000 were collected, of which PLN 981 1000 were collected from the diocese. Most of them were given by the Archdiocese of Kraków - over 581,000 PLN.
Kraków, Tarnów and Poznań headed
Comparing the sum with the number of parishes in each diocese, 1 can say that the top of the diocese with the highest contributions were those with the most parishes. The Archdiocese of Kraków, which paid over 581,000 PLN 167, has 448 parishes. The Tarnów Diocese, having 454 parishes, sent over PLN 365 1000 to MIVA Poland, and the Poznań Archdiocese (414 parish) donated over PLN 282,000.
However, the low number of parishes does not always translate into donated funds. The least parish in the country (98) has a Drohiczyńska diocese, which donated nearly PLN 33,9 thousand. In second place, in terms of the smallest number of parishes (115) is the archdiocese of Bialystock, which donated over PLN 139,7 thousand, or more than 4 times that.
Warsaw with low deposits
For comparison, the Archdiocese of Warsaw (more than 210 parishes) donated over 29 1000 zlotys, nearly 5 times little than the archdiocese of Bialystock, though it has almost half as many parishes. The Diocese of Warsaw-Praska, which gave MIVA Poland the least - over 16.3 1000 - has 203 parishes.
A akin number of parishes (219) has an archdiocese of Łódź, which donated over 74,4 1000 zlotys, and the Diocese of Bielsko-Żywiec (210 parishes) paid over 254,6 1000 zlotys. The Gdańsk Archdiocese (201 parish) donated over 44,2 1000 zlotys.
742 means of transport for missionaries
In 2024, MIVA Poland carried out 128 projects in 35 countries of the world, passing 1 million 544 1000 254 EUR (6 million 599 1000 378 PLN). Of these, 742 different means of transport were purchased for missionaries.
Among the vehicles purchased were 68 cars: 56 passenger and field cars, 1 van and 9 minibuses. As part of the "Mission Ambulance - We Save Life" action, 1 ambulance was purchased to a mission infirmary in the Central African Republic.
Motorcycles, bicycles and wheelchairs
MIVA Poland besides purchased 19 motorcycles (10 for missionaries, six for catechists, 3 for missionary wellness centers) and 52 bikes for catechists and 100 bikes for students. There were besides 2 snowmobiles, 1 tuk tuk (a three-wheel drive with engine) and 3 engines for boats.
The organisation besides donated 1 excavator-loader for repair and construction work at church facilities, 1 single axle tractor with a soiling rod and 495 wheelchairs, including 22 tricycles (tricycles). A full of EUR 2 million, 634,000, 519, was purchased, and the missing amount of missionaries was earned by themselves.
25 years of activity of MIVA Poland
MIVA (Mission Vehicle Association) is an association operating for missionary means of transport. specified organizations be in many countries, support and complement their work to get means of transport for missionaries worldwide. MIVA Poland was established in 2000 and is 1 of the agendas of the Polish Mission Episcopal Commission.
In 25 years, nearly a 1000 cars were purchased, including 25 ambulances to missionary hospitals and clinics, 40 buses and minibuses to schools and for pastoral purposes. There have been 400 motorcycles, over 3.5 1000 bicycles, over 2.3 1000 wheelchairs, dozens of motor boats and boats engines, snowmobiles and many more. For these vehicles MIVA Poland transferred almost 60 million PLN.
In addition to the action of St. Krzysztof MIVA, Poland besides organizes actions: "We save lives - missionary ambulances", "Life reflections" (promoting the wearing of reflective elements after dark), "With the Gospel on the motorbike" (encouraging riders to support the acquisition of motorcycles for missionaries) and "Works of Faith" (collection for bikes for catechists in Africa).
(PAP) Note: This article was edited with Artificial Intelligence.
