RUMFORD – The Rev. Paul Mercieca wants Catholics to realize they are missionaries.

“I’ve been in the United States several times to make people aware of this obligation,” he said Tuesday afternoon after he wrapped up presentations for three area churches.

Mercieca, a member of the Passionist Order for several decades, is a missionary to Papua New Guinea, a small, poor island nation just north of Australia. He is trying to raise about $60,000 for the continued operation of a clinic on the island that treats disabled children.

In the River Valley, he discovered kind, compassionate and generous people.

His presentations at St. Athanasius and St. John Church, St. Theresa’s in Mexico and Our Lady of the Snows in Bethel during the past few days netted about $4,000, bringing his United States trip total up to about $35,000.

Although he has been in Maine once before, in the Bangor area, this was Mercieca’s first time in Western Maine.

Mercieca grew up in the Outback of Australia, a dry and sparse section of the continent, where, as a young man, he had a vision to help as a missionary.

He entered the United States on his fundraising mission on July 6. Since then, he has traveled to nine Catholic churches in Ohio, Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Maine.

The final few days of his United States trip will be at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Bangor, then it’s back to Papua New Guinea.

Everywhere he’s gone, he takes a message from the Papuan people of thanks to Americans for saving them during World War II.

And he found this trip particularly touching and coincidental. His arrival in Rumford was only a few weeks after the remains of a WWII pilot from Rumford, Lt. William A. Bujold, was returned to his hometown for burial from Papua New Guinea where his plane went down 64 years ago.

“I’ve met many veterans who have returned from Papua New Guinea,” he said.

His trips to the United States also have another purpose, although much subtler.

“People should be aware of other worlds,” he said. “The comforts just aren’t there.”

But in Maine, he found a generosity of spirit, and great hospitality, he said.

“I want to bring back the love of the American people,” he said.