Sunday, October 19, 2025

"Missionaries of Hope Among All Peoples"

As the Church prepares to celebrate World Mission Sunday 2025, on October 19, Pope Francis has given us a powerful theme that resonates deeply in this Jubilee Year: “Missionaries of Hope Among All Peoples.” In his message, the Holy Father reminds us that hope is at the heart of the Christian mission, calling every baptized person to be “messengers and builders of hope” in a world that often finds itself overshadowed by uncertainty and despair.

Reflecting on the significance of this Jubilee Year, Pope Francis urges us to keep our gaze fixed on Christ, the center of history, emphasizing that His mission continues today through the Church: “Through his disciples, sent to all peoples and mystically accompanied by him, the Lord Jesus continues his ministry of hope for humanity. He still bends over all those who are poor, afflicted, despairing and oppressed, and pours ‘upon their wounds the balm of consolation and the wine of hope.’”

Click here to read the entire message.

Learn more about World Mission Sunday 2025.

Resources for World Mission Month

Jesus the Missionary

Except from To the Ends of the Earth: A Pastoral Statement on World Mission.

Jesus was a missionary. As the Word of God, he is the light of all nations. As the Word made flesh, he brought God's own life into our midst. Before returning to the Father, he sent the Church to continue the mission given him by the Father and empowered her with his Spirit: "As the Father has sent me, so I send you" (Jn 20:21).

The Missionary Church

Except from To the Ends of the Earth: A Pastoral Statement on World Mission.

The Church, therefore, is missionary by her very nature. She continues the mission of the Son and the mission of the Holy Spirit by proclaiming to the ends of the earth the salvation Christ offers those who believe in him. We are faithful to the nature of the Church to the degree that we love and sincerely promote her missionary activity. As teachers and pastors we are responsible for keeping alive a vibrant Catholic missionary spirit in the United States.

Committee Mandate

The Church's mission is to proclaim the salvation of Christ to the ends of the earth. As teachers and pastors, bishops are responsible for promoting Catholic world missions in the United States. The Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis supports initiatives which focus on the Church's world mission by promoting mission education and working collaboratively with the Pontifical Mission Societies and other mission organizations.

Vatican Documents on Mission

Ad Gentes
Evangelii Gaudium
Evangelii Nuntiandi
Redemptoris Missio

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Documents on Mission

Teaching the Spirit of Mission Ad Gentes: Continuing Pentecost Today
Best Practices to Teach the Spirit of Mission

Learn more about mission organizations in the United States.