Celebrate the Centennial of World Mission Sunday in October
As we begin the month of October, the Church invites us to rediscover our missionary vocation. The month of October is World Mission Month, a sacred time dedicated to praying for and supporting the Church’s mission around the world. Our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, the first pope from the missions since St. Peter, recognizes how important World Mission Sunday is for the Church, having spent many years as a foreign missionary to Peru. During World Mission Month, let us remember to pray for all those who, like Pope Leo, have left their homes and countries to bring the light of the Gospel to all peoples!
World Mission Sunday and Blessed Fulton Sheen
The beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen on September 24 was a great gift to the Church in the United States. While many know him best for his TV presence, books, and charismatic eloquence, he repeatedly said, “My greatest love has always been for the missions of the Church.”
He is the greatest National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the history of the Church, helping raise $200 million (in today’s money, $2.1 billion) to support the growth of the Church.
Under his leadership (1950–1966), World Mission Sunday became a defining moment in the life of the Church in the United States. We can surely count on his intercession for World Mission Sunday on its 100th Anniversary, which takes place on October 18, as together we reflect upon, pray for, and take a collection to support the missions. Blessed Fulton Sheen, pray for us!
Learn more about the Pontifical Mission Societies HERE.
