This Sunday is World Mission Sunday

CV NEWS FEED // This Sunday, October 20, has been designated by Pope Francis as World Mission Sunday, aimed at supporting the Church’s foreign missions with material aid, assistance in preaching the Gospel, and prayers for their protection and growth.

The origins of World Mission Sunday

World Mission Sunday was instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1926 as part of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, one of the four Pontifical Mission Societies. It was designed as a day of universal solidarity, with the first worldwide collection taking place the following year. Ever since, it has been an annual day for Catholics across the globe to provide support for more than 1,100 dioceses, particularly through local churches that serve the poor and bear witness to Christ. 

The day of giving and prayer has roots in 19th-century France, where Blessed Pauline Jaricot encouraged her friends to pray for missions and donate regularly. This first collection was sent to the expansive Diocese of Louisiana, which included parts of Florida, Canada, and Kentucky.

Today, The Pontifical Mission Societies (TPMS) are a worldwide network that serves the Pope by supporting missionary work through prayer and charity. This network includes the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Society of St. Peter the Apostle, the Missionary Childhood Association, and the Missionary Union of Priests and Religious. 

TPMS ensures that resources are distributed justly based on the needs of individual mission territories, directly supporting bishops in these areas. The connection between local churches in the U.S. and those in mission territories strengthens the global Church’s outreach efforts.

Canonization of missionary saints in Rome

World Mission Sunday is often chosen by popes as a special day to canonize new saints, recognizing individuals who have devoted their lives to missionary work or lived exemplary lives in service to others. 

The 2024 celebration, scheduled for October 20, will continue this tradition with Pope Francis canonizing 14 new saints, including Blessed Giuseppe Allamano, founder of the Consolata Missionaries, and eight Franciscan friars and three Maronite laymen martyred in Syria in 1860. The canonization will also include Canada-born Blessed Marie-Léonie Paradis and Blessed Elena Guerra, highlighting the diverse contributions of people to the global mission of the Church.

Oregon Archbishop marks World Mission Sunday in pastoral letter

In the United States, marking this year’s World Mission Sunday with a pastoral letter, Archbishop Alexander Sample of Portland, Oregon, reminds the faithful that the central mission of the Church is discipleship to Christ. 

“Missionary zeal in the early Church was tied to the anticipated coming of Christ,” Bishop Sample wrote. “This eschatological reality is linked to the ‘banquet of the Eucharist’ and the communion to which all people are invited. It is our part to do whatever we can to make this reality available to everyone.” 

Emphasizing the importance of the spiritual work of the missions, Bishop Sample said, “The countless humanitarian works and projects provided by missionaries all over the world are essential for the people they serve, but even more important is the message of invitation to the wedding banquet, which is the destination for all of us.”