Background: World Mission Sunday

October 22, 2023

On October 22, the Church around the world commemorates World Mission Sunday.

The theme of the Pope’s message for the day is “Hearts on Fire, Feet on the Move” (cf. Lk. 24:13-35).

The Fides news agency recently reported on different initiatives for the day, including a video produced by the Pontifical Mission Societies. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops offers various resources for the day.

World Mission Sunday was instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1926 and first commemorated in 1927. As St. John Paul II explained in 2001, Pope Pius “accepted a request by the Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith to ‘establish a day of prayer and propaganda for the missions’ to be celebrated on the same day in every diocese, parish and institute of the Catholic world . . . and to encourage offerings for the missions.”

 

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Further information:

• Pope Francis: Messages for World Mission Day
• Pope Benedict XVI: Messages for World Mission Day
• Pope St. John Paul II: Messages for World Mission Sunday
• Pope St. Paul VI: Messages for World Mission Sunday