(ANS - Rome) - There are many people around the world who, inspired by Don Bosco, spend their lives far from their homeland to devote themselves to the mission of evangelization and the human development of other peoples. On the occasion of World Mission Day, celebrated Sunday, October 22, we want to remember some examples.

(ANS – Seoul) – The Catholic Church in Korea is grateful to God for the steadfast growth of the past 50 years. Among South Korea's population of 53 million, there are 5.7 million baptized Catholic - 10.9% of the total population. Its 1,719 parishes and 740 mission stations are mainly ministered by the diocesan clergy - 4,264 priests. Religious and missionary society priests are only 898. Also, in Seoul, the capital city, with its 229 parishes and 1.5 million Catholics, there are only 3 parishes entrusted to the religious congregation – and only one of them, to the Salesians.

(ANS – Rome) – “My mother having been raised from the age of 5 to 14 in what was then Mary Help of Christians Orphanage in North Haledon, N.J., loved the Rosary. Later, now married and with kids (six), she would often have us stay together after supper to say the Rosary as a family. My Protestant father, just back from bearing the heat of the day working at Ploch Farms in Clifton, was there of course. Invariably, one of the intentions she announced would be ‘that Daddy become a Catholic.’ Of course all eyes went to Daddy. What did he feel like sitting right there?”