World Mission Sunday

This year’s theme is:-

Go and invite everyone to the banquet

World Mission Sunday is a day that unites Catholics in every parish and every country. From the remote villages of Malawi to the rugged landscapes of Mongolia, faith communities like ours are gathering to celebrate, pray and share whatever they can with our brothers and sisters in need. We stand united with them in prayer, solidarity and action.

This World Mission Sunday, Pope Francis reminds us of Christ’s call to each one of us to ‘go and invite everyone to the banquet’. When he says everyone he means everyone. Our mission is to be instruments of God’s love, to share the Gospel - our mission is not just local - it is global.

Missio is the Pope’s charity for world mission and he has entrusted the global Missio network with co-ordinating the World Mission Sunday celebration. Missio ensures that today’s offerings and those collected in parishes worldwide reach the communities with the greatest need. These are places where poverty, conflict, or the challenges of being a young Catholic Church create profound needs. Your generosity will help faith communities build their own chapels, fund hospitals and schools and support vocations where the Church is just beginning to take root or is struggling to survive.

In Lebanon, where families live under the constant threat of rockets and gunfire, the Sisters of the Forsaken Jesus are a beacon of hope. Sister Jovanna lives alongside struggling communities in Lebanon. She states that their aim is to share love and care with families in real need. They share food and do everything to preserve their dignity and hope.

In Mongolia- home to the youngest Catholic Church in the world - the harsh winters can decimate the crops and herds that the nomadic people rely on for survival. Missionaries there offer shelter, food and hope to those who have lost everything, whilst quietly sharing their faith. Missio has played a key role in training lay Catechists and the first Mongolian Priest, who alongside Missionaries from around the world provide education, healthcare and spiritual formation. They are inviting everyone to know God’s love.

World Mission Sunday is a lifeline for thousands of Missionaries, like those in Lebanon and Mongolia, who bring Christ’s love to some of the most challenging places in our world. These Missionaries are often the first to respond in times of crisis and the last to leave the communities they serve. We give thanks for their tireless efforts as we share in their God given mission to build a world of justice, peace and solidarity.

The essence of mission is to go out and invite others to share in the joy we receive through Christ’s Resurrection. This joy is not just for us; it is meant to be shared with the whole world. Pope Francis reminds us that the heart of our mission is to spread the Good News of God’s love, which has the power to transform lives and heal our world.

When we gather around the Eucharistic table, let us remember that the poorest and most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters are the special guests at the Lord’s banquet. Together let us respond to Christ’s call to ‘Go and invite everyone to the banquet.’ Let us be the light and hope our world desperately needs, bearing witness to the love of Christ in all that we do.

Please keep the work of Missionaries throughout the world in prayer.

One of the most inspiring aspects of world Mission Sunday is that every parish around the world supports our global church. Last year the church in Rwanda contributed nearly £12,000. The church in Cambodia gave almost £5,000. Here in England and Wales £595,000 was raised. Together as one body and one church we stand in solidarity with our sisters and brothers across the globe.

In England and Wales - Missio has a special partnership with the Mill Hill Missionaries - the only Missionary Society founded in Britain. Also known as St. Joseph’s Missionary Society - they were founded by Cardinal Vaughan in 1866 with a college at Mill HIll in North London, hence the name. Today the society is present in 19 countries world wide. Since 1936, with the blessing of the Bishops, the Mill Hill Missionaries and Missio have worked together to raise awareness about the work of Missionaries and the communities where they minister to encourage prayerful and financial support for Missionaries.

Income from the red box is shared 60/40 between Missio and Mill Hill Missionaries. Missio’s share supports missionary dioceses and the spread of of the Gospel overseas. The Mill Hill Missionaries’ share supports the formation and training of the society’s future priests.

20th October 2024