Mission: a unit of a parish that lies at some distance and for which there is yet to be a critical mass of church members for their own parish. Mission centers may consist of a number of entities, from chapels and schools to clinics or employment services, depending upon the needs of local Catholics.
A mission goes beyond the established institution and the set boundaries of the institute that runs it. Though a mission attached itself to a central institution like a parish, and was often dependent upon it for personnel, a mission was often run by local people for local people who would not ordinarily be able to travel to the primary location, either for worship or other services.
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