Catholic parishes urged to pray and donate to support missionaries worldwide

Pope Leo XIV has recorded a special video message for the celebration of World Mission Sunday on Sunday 18 October.

Missio, the Pope’s charity for world mission, is appealing for prayers and donations to support missionaries who serve in some of the poorest and most challenging places on earth.

This year’s theme, chosen by Pope Leo XIV, is “One in Christ, united in mission”.

In his message for World Mission Sunday, Pope Leo XIV said, “Your prayers and practical support, particularly on World Mission Sunday, will be a great help in bringing the Gospel of God’s love to everyone, especially the poorest and those most in need. Every gift, no matter how small, becomes a meaningful act of missionary communion.”

Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral posted on Instagram that on Sunday at 11am, a celebration will take place of the cathedral’s first International Mass, marking World Mission Sunday. “We warmly invite people of all nationalities to join us and encourage everyone to wear traditional dress from their culture or country as we celebrate our unity in Christ. Archbishop John Sherrington will be the principal celebrant. All are welcome.”

Bishop of Lancaster Paul Swarbrick said, “Pope Leo has already sent a message of encouragement for us as a Church and he’s really lifting our spirits as we appreciate what Christ is drawing us into through the work of Missio…Let us all try and work together. Let’s be open, let’s be respectful as we enable Christ to go out to those people who are longing, still longing, to know Him better.”

Each of the Metropolitan Cathedrals – Birmingham, Cardiff, Southwark and Westminster as well as Liverpool – is marking World Mission Sunday and will include homilies from Mill Hill Missionaries, the only missionary society founded in Britain in 1866.

World Mission Sunday, this year celebrating its 100th anniversary, was established by Pope Pius XI in 1926 as an appeal to support missionaries through prayer and giving. It is held every year on the penultimate Sunday of October, when every Catholic parish in the world celebrates Mass and contributes according to its means. Last year in England and Wales, £713,954 was raised.

Fr Anthony Chantry, Missio’s national director in England and Wales said, “Pope Leo XIV’s message urges us to celebrate our unity in Christ, who sends us out with a common task: proclaiming, living and sharing God’s faithful love, ‘so that the world may believe in Christ the Lord’.

“There are still multitudes of people in our world who do not know Jesus Christ and have no notion of the new life he offers them. Looking back is helpful, however the past is a place of reference, not a place of residence. We must look to the future to see how we can help others to share God’s love; especially with those who are in great need.”

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