International parish twinning provides an opportunity for a Roman Catholic parishs to develop a relationship with a “sister parish” in a foreign country. The relationship is two-way as both parishes grow through the sharing of experiences and faith.
The mission of the Franciscan Missionary Union Sister Parish Program is to serve the needs of North American parishes wishing to enter into a twinning relationship with a parish in the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, or Asia. We support North American parishes in the following areas:
- Offer advice, guidance, and education for parishes in North America who wish to enter into a twinning relationship
- Link prospective North American parishes with vetted sister parishes in developing countries, and facilitate visits and correspondence between the two
- Promote awareness of the injustices and disparities that exists between developed and underdeveloped countries, and to educate North American parishes as to why this is an important way to confront these issues
- Assisting North American parishes in the development and maintenance of real and personal relationships between individuals and people in their sister parish
- Encourage and advise North American parishes in the development of outreach programs to their sister parish, and to assist them in creating appropriate resources and support in the areas of faith sharing, education, and community development
- Foster attitudes of respect and trust between twinned parishes by empowering both communities to use their discretion and initiative in determining what spiritual and material gifts they would like to bestow on each other
