Sunday, October 19, 2025, marks World Mission Sunday, a day when Catholics across the globe unite in prayer and generosity to support the Church’s missionary work. Instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1926, this annual celebration is the only worldwide collection that directly sustains over 1,100 mission territories in places where the Church is young, vulnerable, or persecuted.
This year’s theme, chosen by Pope Francis before his passing and embraced by Pope Leo XIV, is “Missionaries of Hope Among All Peoples.” It reminds us of our baptismal call to bring Christ’s love to the ends of the earth, especially in communities where hope is scarce and the Gospel is just beginning to take root.
At the Catholic Foundation, we invite you to join us in this global celebration. Your prayers and financial gifts help build churches, train seminarians, support catechists, and provide essential healthcare and education in mission territories across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and beyond. This Diocesan collection supports the Propagation of the Faith, the Church in Latin America, and the Church in Central and Eastern Europe.
A Message from Pope Leo XIV
In a historic first, Pope Leo XIV, a former missionary bishop in Peru, has recorded a heartfelt video message in English and Spanish, urging every Catholic parish to participate in World Mission Sunday.
“When I served as a missionary priest and then bishop in Peru, ”Pope Leo shares, “I saw firsthand how the faith, the prayer, and the generosity shown on World Mission Sunday can transform entire communities. I urge every Catholic parish in the world to take part in World Mission Sunday. Your prayers, your support will help spread the Gospel, provide for pastoral and catechetical programs, help to build new churches, and care for the health and educational needs of our brothers and sisters in mission territories.”
Watch Pope Leo XIV’s video invitation in English and Spanish:
How You Can Help
- Pray for missionaries and the communities they serve.
- Give generously during the special collection at Mass on October 19.
- Share Pope Leo’s message with your parish, school, or prayer group.
- Learn more, and make a gift online: Catholic Foundation World Mission Sunday.
Together, let us be Missionaries of Hope, bringing Christ’s love to the world’s most vulnerable and forgotten places.