World Mission Sunday
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WORLD MISSION SUNDAY IS OCTOBER 18, 2026.
This year we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of World Mission Sunday!
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"I would like to express my special gratitude to today’s ad gentes missionaries. Like Saint Francis Xavier, they have left their homeland, their families and all sense of security in order to proclaim the Gospel and bring Christ and his love to places that are often challenging, poor, conflict-ridden or culturally distant. Despite adversity and human limitations, they continue to give themselves joyfully, because they know that Christ himself, and his Gospel, are the greatest treasures we can offer. Through their perseverance, they demonstrate that God’s love transcends all barriers. The world still needs these courageous witnesses of Christ, and ecclesial communities still need new missionary vocations. We must always keep them close to our hearts and continually pray to the Father for them. May he grant us the gift of young people and adults who are willing to leave everything behind to follow Christ on the path of evangelization even to the ends of the earth!
Filled with admiration for men and women missionaries, I make a special appeal to the whole Church to join them in the mission of evangelization through the witness of our lives in Christ, through prayer and through our contributions to the missions. Inspired by these testimonies, let us all commit to contributing to the great mission of evangelization — which is always a work of love —according to our own vocation and the gifts we have received. Your prayers and practical support, particularly on World Mission Day, will be a great help in bringing the Gospel of God’s love to everyone, especially the poorest and those most in need. Every gift, no matter how small, becomes a meaningful act of missionary communion. I renew my heartfelt gratitude “for everything you will do to help me help missionaries throughout the world”
- From the Vatican, 25 January 2026, Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul
LEO PP. XIV
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Each year, the needs of the Catholic Church in the Missions grow. New dioceses are formed, new seminaries open due to the increasing number of young men called to the priesthood, areas affected by war or natural disasters are rebuilt, and regions previously suppressed begin to open up to the teachings of Christ and His Church. This growth underscores the urgent need for the involvement and commitment of Catholics globally. Contributions from Catholics in the United States, whether on World Mission Sunday or throughout the year, are combined with worldwide offerings to the Society for the Propagation of the Faith.
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Currently, about 1,150 mission dioceses receive regular annual assistance from these collected funds. Additionally, mission dioceses submit requests to the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples for support with catechetical programs, seminaries, Religious Communities’ work, communication and transportation needs, and the construction of chapels, churches, orphanages, and schools. These requests are matched with the funds gathered each year. The world’s national directors of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith vote on these requests to allocate the available funds to meet the greatest needs. These funds are then fully distributed to mission dioceses worldwide.
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WMS News
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The World Mission Sunday collection helps the Church spread the Gospel in missionary lands. These are places (1,130 of them to be exact) where the Church basically barely exists, or where she is so young, poor, or persecuted that she cannot support herself in terms of personnel and resources.Read More -
Many Catholics think of World Mission Sunday as a modern Church initiative. In one sense, this is true: this Oct. 18, we are celebrating it for the 100th time. But in reality, there are profound Biblical roots for this Catholic day of worldwide prayer and sacrifice!Read More -
Fr. Augustine Ikwu, a priest from Nigeria involved in priestly seminary formation, said, “In many dioceses of the world, the Church prays for more vocations. In Nigeria, we pray for the resources to welcome the vocations God has already sent.”Read More
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Ready to join World Mission Month?
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Imagine a world where billions of people have never heard the name of Jesus. Imagine villages where people walk miles to attend Mass because there’s no church nearby. Imagine communities where faith is alive but fragile, challenged by poverty or isolation. Imagine churches packed every Sunday, even when those taking part know they are targets of terrorists because of their faith.
World Mission Sunday is always celebrated on the second to last Sunday of October — it’s October 18 this year. This day of solidarity and support for the Church’s missionary efforts, however, is just a day within an entire month of prayer and recollection for those answering Jesus’ command to “go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations” (Lk 24:47).
This year’s theme, chosen by Pope Leo XIV, is "One in Christ, United in Mission." It is an invitation to become one with Christ’s light and hope to the world, especially to communities where the Church is young, growing, and often struggling. Join us in this universal mission to spread the Gospel and share the love of Christ!
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Let's work together to ensure every Catholic parish in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles supports the Pope's missions this October 18!
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Contact & Support:
If you have any questions regarding World Mission Sunday in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, please call us at (213) 637-7223 or email us at [email protected].
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"One in Christ, United in Mission"
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