“Missionaries of Hope Among All Peoples”
“Even today, there are many settings in which the Christian faith is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent. Settings where other securities are preferred, like technology, money, success, power, or pleasure.
These are contexts where it is not easy to preach the Gospel and bear witness to its truth, where believers are mocked, opposed, despised or at best tolerated and pitied. Yet, precisely for this reason, they are the places where our missionary outreach is desperately needed. A lack of faith is often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life, the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the crisis of the family and so many other wounds that afflict our society.”
Pope Leo XIV, May 9, 2025.
What is World Mission Sunday?
Imagine a world where billions of people have never heard the name of Jesus. Imagine villages where people walk miles to attend Mass because there’s no church nearby. Imagine communities where faith is alive but fragile, challenged by poverty or isolation. Imagine churches packed every Sunday, even when those taking part know they are targets of terrorists because of their faith.
This is why World Mission Sunday makes a difference.
Celebrated every year on the second-to-last Sunday of October, World Mission Sunday is the day when Catholics around the world unite to support the missionary work of the Church. Established by Pope Pius XI in 1926, it remains the only annual global collection that directly supports the 1,124 mission territories where the Church is young, struggling, or persecuted. On this day, every parish, in every diocese, in every country, joins in prayer and giving to ensure that missionaries can continue their vital work—building churches, forming priests, supporting catechists, and serving communities in need.
Are you ready to be a part of World Mission Month 2025?
World Mission Sunday is always celebrated on the second to last Sunday of October — it’s October 19 this year. This day of solidarity and support for the Church’s missionary efforts, however, is just a day within an entire month of prayer and recollection for those answering Jesus’ command to “go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations” (Lk 24:47).
This year’s theme, chosen by Pope Francis, is inspired by the Jubilee of Hope: “Missionaries of Hope Among the Peoples.” It is an invitation to bring Christ’s light and hope to the world, especially to communities where the Church is young, growing, and often struggling. Join us in this universal mission to spread the Gospel and share the love of Christ!
World Mission Sunday is always celebrated on the second to last Sunday of October — it’s October 19 this year. This day of solidarity and support for the Church’s missionary efforts, however, is just a day within an entire month of prayer and recollection for those answering Jesus’ command to “go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations” (Lk 24:47).
This year’s theme, chosen by Pope Francis, is inspired by the Jubilee of Hope: “Missionaries of Hope Among the Peoples.” It is an invitation to bring Christ’s light and hope to the world, especially to communities where the Church is young, growing, and often struggling. Join us in this universal mission to spread the Gospel and share the love of Christ!
The Heart of the Mission: Leo XIV and the Global Church
World Mission Month, which has its peak on World Mission Sunday, is a global celebration during which Catholics everywhere join efforts in support 1,124 mission territories, where the Gospel is being proclaimed for the first time, courageously upheld despite persecution, or brought to communities still discovering Christ’s love.
We do mean Catholics everywhere: Catholics in South Sudan, the second poorest country in the world, with an average GDP per capita of $334.14, raised over $10,000 on World Mission Sunday last year.
Read Pope Leo XIV remarks to National Directors of The Pontifical Mission Societies
Read message for World Mission Sunday 2025
Become a Volunteer for this World Mission Sunday 2025
Are you ready to make a difference? Sign up to be a Missionary of Hope this World Mission Sunday!
As a volunteer, you will:
🙏 Pray for the missions and encourage others to do the same.
📣 Share the message of World Mission Sunday in your parish and on social media.
🧐 Ensure your parish has World Mission Sunday materials displayed.
🤲 Fundraise to support mission territories.
Become a Volunteer for this World Mission Sunday 2025
Are you ready to make a difference? Sign up to be a Missionary of Hope this World Mission Sunday!
As a volunteer, you will:
🙏 Pray for the missions and encourage others to do the same.
📣 Share the message of World Mission Sunday in your parish and on social media.
🧐 Ensure your parish has World Mission Sunday materials displayed.
🤲 Fundraise to support mission territories.
Did you know?
Though formally established as a universal day of prayer and solidarity for the missions in 1922, the World Mission Sunday collection finds its origin in the prayer circles created by Blessed Pauline Jaricot, the foundress of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, one of four Pontifical Mission Societies. This 19th-century French laywoman convinced her friends, many of whom were laborers in her family’s silk factory, to pray daily for the missions and give a penny a week.
The pennies raised during the first year were sent to the huge then-diocese of Louisiana, which extended from the Florida Keys throughout the Louisiana Purchase to the Canadian border, and to China.
Get Your Parish Involved!
If you are a priest, deacon, parish staff member, or active lay leader, we have resources to help your parish celebrate World Mission Month throughout October!
📥 Download Parish Resources:
- Suggested homilies for each Sunday of October
- Parish announcements for each Sunday of October
- Bulletin announcements for each Sunday of October
- Prayer of the Faithful for each Sunday of October
- A pamphlet explaining how to pray the World Mission Rosary
- Resources explaining why World Mission Sunday matters
- The message for World Mission Sunday 2025
- Music to animate the World Mission Sunday liturgical celebrations
- Social media assets ready for you to share with your followers, including videos, pictures, and suggested copy
Let’s work together to ensure every Catholic parish in the U.S. supports the Pope’s missions this October 19!
