World Mission Sunday- October 19

World Mission Sunday is October 19. Read Bishop O’Connell’s letter below.

As we celebrate World Mission Sunday, we are reminded of our shared responsibility to proclaim the Gospel to all nations. This day is a powerful call to unite in prayer and solidarity, supporting the Church’s missionary work worldwide.

This year’s theme, “Missionaries of Hope Among the Peoples,” resonates deeply, echoing the vision of Pope Leo XIV, whose own missionary journey in Peru exemplified the hope and renewal the Church brings to the most isolated communities. As he said, the Pontifical Mission Societies are “the primary means for awakening missionary responsibility among all the baptized.” His example calls us to renew our commitment to the mission of the Church–both near and far.

Let us remember that the Catholic Church in the United States was once a mission territory, nurtured by the sacrifices of Catholics from Europe and beyond. Today, we are called to extend that same generosity to the Church’s 1,124 mission territories, where priests, religious, and lay leaders work in areas of poverty and persecution to bring the Gospel to those in need.

Read Bishop O’Connell’s full message HERE.

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Father Peter James Alindogan, Diocesan Director, The Pontifical Mission Societies has shared this message for World Mission Sunday.
 
As we approach World Mission Sunday on October 19, 2025, I invite you to join our fellow Catholics across the globe in renewing our commitment to the Church’s missionary calling.
This year’s theme, “Missionaries of Hope Among the Peoples,” calls each of us to be bearers of Christ’s love–especially to the world’s most vulnerable communities. It’s a theme that beautifully reflects the life and example of Pope Leo XIV, our newly elected Holy Father, who spent many years as a missionary priest in the mountains and villages of Peru. His pastoral ministry was marked by humility, joy, and a deep closeness to those he served–especially the poor.

Read Father Alindogan’s message HERE.