Pope Leo XIV called on everyone to contribute to the work of the Pontifical Mission Societies in a video message published on October 7, 2026, ahead of the 100th World Mission Day. This annual event, also known as World Mission Sunday, is being celebrated this year on October 18. The Pope’s appeal focuses on supporting missionary work and generously providing concrete assistance to bring the Gospel to the poorest and most needy.
As reported by the Catholic News Agency, citing Vatican News, the Holy Father expressed his gratitude on the occasion of the important centenary. In the message, he also reflected on his own missionary experience. According to his testimony, it left a deep mark on him: it was important in affirming his religious vocation, and also gave him the experience of receiving support in the places where he served as a missionary.
Pope Pius XI established World Mission Day to promote, at every level of the Church, a deeper understanding of the magnitude of the missionary task and fervent prayer for the work of evangelization. From the very beginning, the observance of this day has helped the work of the Pontifical Mission Societies. In this context, Leo XIV encouraged everyone to contribute to their work, linking his appeal for support with a reminder of the purpose of the annual missionary celebration.
Prayer and support in the missionary vocation
Speaking about his youth, the Pope testified to the role of prayer in his own vocation. “Looking back on my youth, I can see how the prayers addressed to the Lord of the harvest mysteriously helped prepare my heart to hear Jesus’ call and to follow him as an Augustinian missionary,” he said. In this way, he connected his experience of preparation for missionary life with prayers for the work of evangelization.
The support of the faithful, the Pope said, accompanied him during his missionary work in Peru as well. He spoke not only of his own experience, but also of the support received by other missionaries: “Moreover, the prayers and gifts of the faithful encouraged and supported my missionary work in Peru, as well as that of many other missionaries throughout the world.”
“One in Christ, united in mission”
This year’s theme for World Mission Day, “One in Christ, united in mission,” also recalls Pope Leo XIV’s episcopal motto. In connection with this theme, the Pope highlighted baptism, which makes us members of one Body of Christ, from which love flows. This link between baptism, communion and love, he emphasized, inspires the faithful to contribute to the Church’s great mission of evangelization.
In his message for the 100th World Mission Day, the Holy Father had already called for generous concrete assistance so that the Gospel could be brought to the poorest and most needy. He described cooperation in this mission as the shared work of one family: “The Lord calls us to cooperate as one family, with the help of the Holy Spirit, so that every person, wherever they may be, may be brought into the communion of faith in Christ.”
