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 Pope asks Catholics to support missions with prayer, donations

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In separate videos recorded in English, Spanish and Italian, Pope Leo XIV urged every Catholic parish around the globe to observe World Mission Sunday Oct. 19 and take up the annual collection that supports Catholic missionary work.

"When I served as a missionary priest and then bishop in Peru, I saw first-hand how the faith, the prayer and the generosity shown on World Mission Sunday can transform entire communities," said the Chicago-born pope. As an Augustinian priest, he served in the missions in Peru from 1985 to 1999 and then as apostolic administrator and later bishop of Chiclayo from 2014 to 2023. 

"Your prayers, your support will help spread the Gospel, provide for pastoral and catechetical programs, help to build new churches, and care for the health and educational needs of our brothers and sisters in mission territories," the pope said.

According to the Pontifical Mission Societies USA, funds collected on World Mission Sunday support: "82,498 seminarians in formation; 258,540 religious sisters providing care and catechesis; (and) 844,000 catechists sharing the faith at the grassroots."

The funds also help sustain "12,000 health care centers; 8,750 orphanages and homes for the elderly" and have helped with the construction of 570 new churches, it said.

In the video, Pope Leo asked Catholics to "reflect together on our baptismal call to be 'missionaries of hope among the peoples,'" and to commit themselves again "to the sweet and joyful task of bringing Christ Jesus our hope to the ends of the earth."

The annual papal message for World Mission Sunday is released in February. Pope Francis had chosen "Missionaries of Hope Among All Peoples" as the theme for the 2025 celebration.

Pope asks Catholics to support missions with prayer, donations | USCCB

1.      World Mission Sunday Collection: World Mission Sunday gather support for the pastoral and evangelizing programs and needs of more than 1,150 mission dioceses in Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands, and remote regions of Latin America. The funds gathered on World Mission Sunday are distributed in the pope’s name by the Society for the Propagation of the Faith-a Pontifical Mission Society. The U.S. bishops established the Catholic Home Missions Appeal in 1998 to support the missions here in America. The Appeal primarily supports home mission dioceses, that is, those unable to offer their people the basis pastoral ministries of word, worship and service without outside help. It may also give grants to other dioceses for particular projects; and to organizations and religious communities engaged in missionary work. This collection is scheduled to be taken up the weekend of October 19.

2.  Solemnity of All Saints (Not a Holyday of Obligation): We will celebrate a Community Mass at 9:30 AM on Saturday, November 1st, in honor of All Saints. Thank you.

3.      A Prayer Book For Our Dead Loved Ones: There is a book on the back of the church to write down the names of our loved ones who have passed away. During the Mass for all Souls.

4.  Candlelight Service for All Souls: Sunday, November 2nd before the 9:00 AM Mass, the parish will hold a special candlelight service in remembrance of all souls. Candles are available at the back of the church. Please take one candle per family, write the names of your departed loved ones on it. We invite everyone to come early and join us in prayer and remembrance of our beloved deceased.

5.       Flu Season: Out of compassion for those sitting near us, when entering the church, please use the hand sanitizers located near the church entrances.

6.      Kitchen: The kitchen open today. Please join us for coffee, donuts and eggrolls in the hall after mass.