Bring the Gospel message of salvation to all people, Pope says in World Mission Sunday video

October 08, 2026

Pope Leo XIV issued a video message for the 100th World Mission Sunday and spoke about “our commitment and responsibility to spread the Gospel message of salvation to all people.”

“Through Baptism, each one of us becomes a member of the Body of Christ and has a unique role in contributing to Jesus’ saving work,” Pope Leo said. “Our Lord calls us to cooperate as one family, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to bring everyone everywhere into a communion of faith in Christ.”

The Pope also recalled that prayers and support for the missions helped inspire and sustain his own missionary vocation.

“Looking back on my youth, I can see how the prayers offered to the Lord of the harvest mysteriously helped prepare my heart to hear Jesus’ call to follow him as an Augustinian missionary,” he said. “Moreover, the prayers and contributions of the faithful encouraged and sustained my missionary work in Peru, as well as that of countless others throughout the world. For this reason, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported World Mission Sunday over the years.”

The Church commemorates World Mission Sunday on October 18; the Vatican released the Pope’s video on October 7. Pope Leo issued his message for the 100th World Mission Sunday on January 25, the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul.

 

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Further information:

• Video message of the Holy Father Leo XIV on the occasion of the 100th World Mission Sunday (Dicastery for Communication - Vatican Media, 10/7/26)
• Video Message of the Holy Father on the occasion of the 100th World Mission Day (Holy See Press Office, 10/7/26)
• Pope for Mission Sunday: Evangelisation is always a work of love (Vatican News, 10/7/26)
• Pope, in World Mission Day message, calls for unity for sake of evangelization (CWN, 1/25/26)