Fr. Joah Ellis of Our Lady of Peace Church in Minneapolis has updated parishioners on the Mission Appeal and school reopening amid COVID-19 via the Aug. 16 church bulletin.

“This appeal takes place each summer in every parish in the Archdiocese. The organization making the appeal changes year to year, giving us an opportunity to learn about a variety of missionary and charitable efforts around the world,” Fr. Ellis said in the bulletin.

Fr. Jimmy Puttananickal of the Church of St. Mary in St. Paul will be serving as the guest priest for the Mission Appeal this time around. Puttananickal also serves as a member of the Congregation of the Sons of the Immaculate Conception, which began in Italy in 1857. The congregation members in that parish devote their lives to helping the sick and caring for orphans and the less fortunate.

“The congregation has a presence in 23 different countries," Ellis said in the bulletin. "Fr. Jimmy will be making the appeal specifically for their centers in India, where he is from." The key locations for their service are Divine Providence home in Andhra Pradesh, Sneha Sadhan in Bangalore, and Emmanuel Clinic.

Ellis urged those who wouldn’t be in attendance for the Mission Appeal to take a look at a video of Puttanickal’s message. He also asked members to contribute to the Mission Appeal by giving online.

Additionally, Ellis mentioned the church’s plan to reopen the school.

“OLP’s plan is to start the year with the students in the classrooms," he said. "Extensive, ongoing planning and preparation has taken place to ensure that we are keeping everyone as safe as possible and minimizing the risk of infection. Similar efforts are taking place for our Wednesday night faith formation classes.” He acknowledged the staff and volunteers for the efforts they have made with safety precautions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.