Hello! My name is Madeline McCallum, and I am a parishioner here at St. Francis De Sales! This past year, I volunteered as a NET missionary in the states. NET ministries is a Catholic missionary organization that sends out adults ages 18-28 out around the country in teams of 8-10 to put on Catholic retreats for middle school and high school students. This past year, my team alone traveled to 27 states, held 138 retreats, and impacted over 6700 youth!
This past year has been so fruitful for me, and I have been able to grow as a person, and also in my relationship with God. Not only have I changed, butI have seen the lives of teens change everyday through these ministries. Through much prayer and discernment, I have decided to go back to NET for another year of mission work! I am so excited to be back and serve the church in this way.
As a NET Missionary, I am responsible for forming a team of ministry partners who will support the work of NET Ministries with monthly or one-time gifts totaling to a minimum of $9,500-11,000. This support helps offset expenses for my training, healthcare, transportation, equipment, and a small monthly stipend. With the blessing of Fr. Marius, I am asking you to partner with me this year to help me reach this minimum funding goal. I will try to be at the back of the church taking any donations. If you would like to donate through cheques, it would be best to write them out to me. You can also donate online at
www.netusa.org/supportamissionary and select Madeline McCallumin the team member box. Be sure to select the 2025-2026 NET year at the top of the NET page.
None of this ministry would be possible without the financial support of you. Know that your yes to supporting me is truly changing the lives of youth who are so desperate to know Jesus. This year, I have witnessed youth coming into the retreat not believing in God, and leaving with a fire for the faith, wanting to know more about the Catholic church. For a quick example, there was a youth in Austin, Texas that had said all day that he did not believe in God or that there was a God. At the end of the retreat, during the prayer time of the retreat, he got up and knelt in front of the monstrance in adoration for an entire hour. He left that retreat believing in God and wanting to know more about the Catholic faith. This is the change that your support is going towards. This change is not possible without the support of you. Your yes to donate is more impactful than you know.
I am very grateful for the support I’ve received from the parishioners of this parish. Please keep me in your prayers and know that you remain in mine.
Sincerely,
Madeline McCallum
