What is World Mission Sunday?
A Global Day of Prayer and Solidarity for the Missions.
Established in 1926 by Pope Pius XI, World Mission Sunday is coordinated by the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, one of the four Pontifical Mission Societies. Its purpose is to sustain more than 1,124 mission territories — places where the Church is young, often materially poor, and sometimes persecuted, but where the seed of the Gospel is being planted and nourished. The Society for the Propagation of the Faith provides support for pastoral and catechetical programs, church construction, healthcare, and education in mission territories.
A Mission Rooted in History
World Mission Sunday traces its roots to Blessed Pauline Jaricot, a 19th-century French laywoman who mobilized prayer and support for the Church’s missionary efforts. Her first fundraising circles helped support the Church in the United States — then a mission territory itself — until 1908. Today, U.S. Catholics return that generosity by supporting the missionary work of the Church throughout Africa, Asia, Oceania, Latin America, and parts of Europe and the Middle East.
www.pontificalmissions.org/wms
This day the universal Church reflects its deepest identity as the Church in mission. Catholics worldwide unite at Mass to recommit to our vocation to be missionaries. We are called in a special way to be missionaries through prayer and participation in the Eucharist, and by giving generously to the collection for the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. Your generosity makes it possible for missionaries, priests, catechists and pastoral workers to reach out in the name of Jesus to communities and families in need in 1,150 dioceses throughout the world. All proceeds are disbursed to the Missions; no funds are held in reserve.
Use your World Mission Sunday envelope from your packet of Church envelopes and your generosity will help make a faith-filled difference around the world!
A gift of $25 would be a month’s support for a young woman preparing to serve as a Religious Sister in Indonesia.
A gift of $60 is a month’s education for a seminarian in Nigeria.
About $50 a month helps a local Religious Community of Sisters in Tanzania care for the poor.
WMS Remittance Information for Parishes:
The World Mission Sunday collection is scheduled for the next to last Sunday in October. This day is celebrated in all the local Churches as the feast of catholicity and universal solidarity so Christians the world over will recognize their common responsibility with regard to the evangelization of the world.
Checks for these collections are to be made payable and remitted to:
Diocese of Columbus
Finance Office
198 E. Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43215
*Envelopes should be mailed to the Missions Office for these collections.
Thanks to the generosity of Catholics in the United States, in 2024 World Mission Sunday helped:
– Support the formation of 82,498 seminarians
– Sustain the work of 258,540 religious sisters
– Equip 843,785 catechists
– Maintain 8,749 orphanages and shelters for children
– Build 570 new churches
Bulletin Resources