October 20, World Mission Day: Pope Francis’ Message
Missionary October Month and Pope’s Message for World Mission Sunday
In the Catholic Church, October has long been associated with mission. The month starts with the feast of St Thérèse of Lisieux and draws to a close with World Mission Sunday (WMS)– always celebrated on the second to last Sunday of October: this year it will be marked on October 20th, and will ben a special day of prayer and global solidarity celebrated in all Catholic parishes around the world.
This year’s theme, chosen by Pope Francis, is rooted in the Gospel of Matthew: “Go and Invite Everyone to the Banquet”(cf. Mt 22:9), reflecting the inclusive and urgent call to bring God’s love to everyone.
The Pope, in his message, released on 25 January 2024, Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, recalls with particular intensity the universal horizon of the apostolic work of the Church, for the eternal salvation of all.
In the text, the Pontiff also thanks all those “missionaries who, in response to Christ’s call, have left everything behind to go far from their homeland and bring the Good News to places where people have not yet received it, or received it only recently“.
In particular, Pope Francis, once again recommends to all dioceses throughout the world “the service of the Pontifical Mission Societies”, recalling that “the collections of World Mission Day in all the local Churches are entirely destined to the universal fund of solidarity” that the Pontifical Society of the Propagation of the Faith collects and then “distributes in the Pope’s name for the needs of all the Church’s missions“.
The parable that serves as a backdrop to this year’s missionary October theme is about a wedding banquet, arranged by the king for his son, in which those first invited do not participate. The Gospel account continues, therefore, emphasizing that the king does not give up, but sends his servants again saying to them, “Go therefore to the thoroughfares, and invite to the marriage feast as many as you find” (v. 9).
In his message, Pope Francis highlights three aspects of the mission of the Church and her disciples:
- “Go and invite!”. Mission as a tireless going out to invite others to the Lord’s banquet, where people live, walk.
- “To the banquet”. This is the eschatological and eucharistic perspective of the mission of Christ and the Church.
- “Everyone”. The universal mission of the disciples of Christ and fully synodal and missionary Church. Everyone – no one excluded – is invited to participate in the feast that gives flavor to life. For this, the Pope stresses, “The mission for all requires the commitment of all.“
Images
- “The Catholic Mission in Bagamoyo” by mwanasimba from La Réunion is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0