World Mission Sunday offers hope

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As we celebrate World Mission Sunday, we are reminded of our shared responsibility to proclaim the Gospel to all nations. This day is a powerful call to unite in prayer and solidarity, supporting the Church’s missionary work worldwide.

This year’s theme, “Missionaries of Hope Among the Peoples,” resonates deeply, echoing the vision of Pope Leo XIV, whose own missionary journey in Peru exemplified the hope and renewal the Church brings to the most isolated communities. As he said, the Pontifical Mission Societies are “the primary means for awakening missionary responsibility among all the baptized.” His example calls us to renew our commitment to the mission of the Church–both near and far.

Let us remember that the Catholic Church in the United States was once a mission territory, nurtured by the sacrifices of Catholics from Europe and beyond. Today, we are called to extend that same generosity to the Church’s 1,124 mission territories, where priests, religious, and lay leaders work in areas of poverty and persecution to bring the Gospel to those in need.

The second collection today supports the Pontifical Mission Societies, the Pope’s official means of assisting these communities. Your contribution will support the formation of seminarians and religious, the training of catechists, education for children in Catholic schools, medical care in Church-run hospitals, and the construction of churches and centers for worship.

Your prayers and sacrifices today ensure that the light of Christ reaches even the farthest corners of the world. The mission is not just for those who serve in distant lands–it is the responsibility of all of us, by virtue of our baptism.

I encourage you to give generously, knowing that your support will make a real difference in the lives of those who might otherwise never hear the Gospel. May this World Mission Sunday deepen our commitment to the mission of the Church and inspire us to live as Missionaries of Hope in all we do.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend David M. O’Connell, C.M.

Bishop of Trenton