WATCH: Pope Leo XIV makes a special appeal for World Mission Day

"Thank you for everything you will do to help me help missionaries throughout the world."

To mark World Mission Day on Oct. 19, 2025, the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, is asking every single parish in the world to help support missionaries who are working and serving in the remotest corners of the earth.


In a video message, Pope Leo XIV emphasizes how World Mission Day, which next year celebrates its centenary, is a special day in which the whole Church unites in prayer for missionaries and for the fruitfulness of their apostolic labors. The Pope recalls his missionary experience in Peru: "When I served as a missionary priest and then bishop in Peru, I saw first-hand how the faith, the prayer and the generosity shown on World Mission Sunday can transform entire communities."

On May 22, 2025, Pope Leo addressed the participants at the annual General Assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies, which are entrusted to the Dicastery for Evangelization (Section for the First Evangelization and New Particular Churches). 

In recalling his pastoral experience during his years of ministry in South America, Pope Leo spoke with gratitude about the ‘indispensable’ service the Pontifical Mission Societies offer to the Church’s mission of evangelization.



In his video message, available in different languages on the Vatican.va and Vatican news websites, the Holy Father makes this appeal: "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."

Towards the end of his message for this 99th World Mission Day, Pope Leo XIV invites us to reflect together on our baptismal call to be "missionaries of hope among all peoples," as the theme chosen by Pope Francis for this year reminds us.

To conclude, our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV invites us all: "Let us commit ourselves anew to the sweet and joyful task of bringing Christ Jesus, our Hope, to the ends of the earth. Thank you for everything you will do to help me help missionaries throughout the world."

The text of the Pope's message
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
On World Mission Sunday every year, the whole Church prays, united, particularly for missionaries and the fruitfulness of their apostolic labors.
When I served as a missionary priest and then bishop in Peru, I saw first-hand 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. This October 19th, as we reflect together on our baptismal call to be "missionaries of hope among the peoples," let us commit ourselves anew to the sweet and joyful task of bringing Christ Jesus our Hope to the ends of the earth. Thank you for everything you will do to help me help missionaries throughout the world. God bless you all!

ESPAÑOL

---

World Mission Sundayis the only collection mandated by Canon Law (Can. 791) to be held in every parish, in every country. Overseen by the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, one of the four Pontifical Mission Societies, the yearly collection supports:

• The formation of 82,498 seminarians
• The missionary work of 258,540 religious sisters
• The training of 844,000 catechists
• The care provided by 12,000 health clinics
• The outreach of 8,750 orphanages and homes for the elderly
• And the building of 570 new churches

This year’s theme—“Missionaries of Hope Among the Peoples”—was chosen by Pope Francis before his death and now takes on new meaning under the leadership of his missionary successor.

Learn more about World Mission Sunday