“One in Christ, United in Mission” is the chosen theme of the World Mission Sunday by Holy See, Pope Leo XIV. World Mission Sunday, instituted in 1926 by Pope Pius XI at the request of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, calls us each year in the spirit of the Church’s unity and universality, to a renewed commitment to everyone’s responsibility for the spread of the Gospel message. As the centennial year “Global day of praying and giving”, we Catholics worldwide to re-commit themselves to the missionary work of the Church. Therefore, we set aside our contribution for the mission, as we encounter the concrete realities locally and internationally: poverty, migration, conflict, exploitation, isolation, and now the growing influence of digital power.
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His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV in his first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas,” which signed on May 15, 2026, exhorts that “With the same faith as Mary, let us become ‘weavers of hope’ in our world, sharing who we are and what we have, so that the presence of Jesus may grow among us and his Kingdom take shape. In the humble fidelity of daily life, even the era of Artificial Intelligence can become a time in which the Holy Spirit brings about the civilization of love in our lives,” (Pope Leo XIV, Magnifica Humanitas, § 245). Our Holy Father’s prophetic message, which is guidance of life-giving holy dove, by the Holy Spirit, it echoes that we should be aware of the dehumanization of the digital revolution and need of implementation of human values and human dignity in digital platforms. We must consider to proclaim Gospel of Jesus Christ to real people, to real communities by our real presence and real love.
World Mission Sunday – A global celebration of the Church’s missionary mandate. Every parish in the world will be holding a special collection on this day. This contribution fully goes to Vatican for the missionary purpose and in mission territories; places where the Church is young, poor, or persecuted and unable to sustain itself without our support. The Church needs your prayers and financial help generosity of Catholics around the world, for specially people in Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea to keep the Gospel alive and hope kindled by our contribution. Missionaries do not wait for people to come, but goes out to meet them. As they serve others, they live among the people, walking the same streets, sharing their struggles, and standing beside them in their darkest moments.
Catholic Church always willing to stand beside the poorest of the poor by offering not just aid, but dignity, love, and the hope of the Gospel. Our late, Pope Francis long before he became pope, in 2008, then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio opened the first Hogar de Cristo, washing the feet of young drug addicts and commissioning the Church to fight for them—body to body, soul to soul. (Buenos Aires: A Church that goes where no one else will, Pontifical Mission magazine, 2025).
In fact, God is the source and author of life and each person is created by God’s image and likeness. The evangelization purpose amplifies that God and humanity dwells together with harmony. Therefore, we must give priority to real people and their needs, see and hear the cry of the poor, marginalized rather than based on data collection which will disconnect between human genuine connection or emotional bonds. Let us keep our eyes fix upon our Mother Mary, the ark of the covenant, who protects her children in her maternal mantle.
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The funds collected each year in every single parish in the world, no matter how big or small, directly aid Catholic communities to build churches, donate Bibles, support seminarians and novices, sustain religious sisters and catechists. When you risk something for others ‘sake for those in need then you receive favor of God and grace of God because when you break your comforts zone and familiarity or your treasure for the needy God will reward you in abundance. The Bible teaches us that “Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you” (Catholic Bible, Isaiah 49:15). We can be the hands and feet of God through our generous help for the poorest of poor and voice of the voiceless. God loves the cheerful giver!
As we continue to strive to promote global missions by coordinating and managing the mission programs and collections in our diocese. You enable us to plan for the future, continuing in mission and sharing the Good News; Christ’s love and mercy towards to communities locally and globally. I would like to join the Holy Father in thanking you personally for all you do to help make this celebration a success. The Holy Father had you in mind when he said in early June: “I am happy to express my gratitude to all of you and to everyone who works with you throughout the world, for all of your efforts, great and small, in promoting World Mission Sunday in every ecclesiastical circumscription in the universal communion of the Church” -Pope Leo XIV (June 1, 2026). Your part in our shared Church’s Mission will be rewarded by God’s blessings. In 2025, the faithful of the Diocese of Columbus contributed $ 70,775.36 for the World Mission Sunday (WMS) collection. On behalf of His Excellency Most Rev. Bishop Earl K. Fernandes, and Msgr. Roger J. Landry, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies, I would like to thank you for your generosity and kindness toward the missions of the Church.
Let us unite with Holy Father Pope Leo XIV, across the globe to pray and offer sacrifices and gifts for the missionary work of the Church on this upcoming World Mission Sunday.
Our Lady Queen of Missions, pray for us!
