Every year, the Catholic Church dedicates October to prayer, reflection, and action in support of its missionary work. Known as the Month of the Missions, it culminates in World Mission Sunday, observed worldwide on the third Sunday of the month.
On this day, Catholics are invited to pray and give generously to support missionary efforts, ensuring that the Gospel continues to reach the most vulnerable and remote communities.
In the Jubilee Year 2025, World Mission Day which will be celebrated on Sunday 19, October 2025, carries a central message of hope. Pope Francis chose the motto: “Missionaries of Hope Among All Peoples.” This theme reminds both individual Christians and the entire Church the community of the baptized of our fundamental vocation: to be messengers and builders of hope in the footsteps of Christ.
Celebrating the first Ordinary Jubilee of the Third Millennium since the Holy Year of 2000, the faithful are called to keep their gaze fixed on Christ, “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb 13:8). This focus renews the Church’s mission of hope, especially in a world often marked by distraction, restlessness, and despair.
Pope Francis stresses that missionaries of hope must be “artisans” of hope, committed to restoring joy and dignity to humanity. Such a mission begins in prayer, for, as the Pope notes, “the person who hopes is a person who prays.”
This year’s theme, also echoed by Pope Leo XIV, underscores the unity of the global Church under the banner of “Missionaries of Hope Among All Peoples.” It calls the faithful not only to prayer but to concrete action: transforming faith into service, compassion, and justice.
On World Mission Sunday, Catholics join their Holy Father in supporting the Church’s missionary work across the globe. Through prayer and financial contributions, the faithful share in celebrations that unite parishes and dioceses worldwide. Together, they bring the Lord’s mercy and tangible help to communities most in need, embodying the Church’s enduring mission: to be a living sign of hope for all people.
