As the Church prepares to celebrate World Mission Sunday 2025, on October 19, Pope Francis has given us a powerful theme that resonates deeply in this Jubilee Year: “Missionaries of Hope Among All Peoples.” In his message, released by the Vatican on February 6th, the Holy Father reminds us that hope is at the heart of the Christian mission, calling every baptized person to be “messengers and builders of hope” in a world that often finds itself overshadowed by uncertainty and despair.
Following in the Footsteps of Christ, Our Hope
Reflecting on the significance of this Jubilee Year, Pope Francis urges us to keep our gaze fixed on Christ, the center of history, emphasizing that His mission continues today through the Church: “Through his disciples, sent to all peoples and mystically accompanied by him, the Lord Jesus continues his ministry of hope for humanity. He still bends over all those who are poor, afflicted, despairing and oppressed, and pours ‘upon their wounds the balm of consolation and the wine of hope.’”
This mission is not an abstract idea; it is a living reality carried forward by thousands of missionaries across 1,124 mission territories where the message of the Gospel has only recently been introduced, has already been forgotten, or is met with persecution. The Pope calls on the Church to persevere in its mission, despite difficulties and weaknesses, so that the love of Christ can reach the most vulnerable.
“While facing persecutions, tribulations and difficulties, as well as her own imperfections and failures due to the weakness of her members, the Church is constantly impelled by the love of Christ to persevere, in union with him, on her missionary journey and to hear, like him and with him, the plea of suffering humanity and, indeed, the groaning of every creature that awaits definitive redemption. This is the Church that the Lord always and forever calls to follow in his footsteps: not a static Church, but a missionary Church that walks with her Lord through the streets of the world.”
Father Juan Gabriel Arias, center, an Argentine missionary priest who has long worked to bring the Joy of the Gospel to Mozambique.
Christians: Bearers and Builders of Hope
Pope Francis reminds us that evangelization is not merely about words, but about sharing in the joys and sufferings of humanity, walking alongside those in need: “In following Christ the Lord, Christians are called to hand on the Good News by sharing the concrete life situations of those whom they meet, and thus to be bearers and builders of hope.”
In a world marked by isolation and materialism, where “proximity is disappearing”, the Pope warns against the dangers of self-centeredness and calls on Christians to cultivate closeness, compassion, and tenderness.
“Obsession with efficiency and an attachment to material things and ambitions are making us self-centered and incapable of altruism,” Pope Francis wrote. “The Gospel, experienced in the life of a community, can restore us to a whole, healthy, redeemed humanity.”
This is precisely why the work of missionaries ad gentes—those who leave their homelands to bring the Gospel to others—remains vital. Pope Francis expresses deep gratitude to these missionaries, men and women, religious and lay people alike, thanking them for their witness to the universal call to evangelization: “For this, I thank you most heartily! Your lives are a clear response to the command of the risen Christ, who sent his disciples to evangelize all peoples.”
Renewing the Mission of Hope
Vietnamese Cardinal Francois Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan receives the eucharistic gifts at a church service in Rome Oct. 14, 2001. The head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace died Sept. 16 in Rome after an extended battle with cancer. He was 74. (CNS photo by Alessia Giuliani, CPP)
Recognizing the challenges of today’s world, the Holy Father calls all the baptized to be “artisans of hope”, sustained by prayer and the power of the Eucharist.
“Missionaries of hope are men and women of prayer, for ‘the person who hopes is a person who prays’, in the words of Venerable Cardinal François-Xavier Van Thuan, who was himself sustained in hope throughout his lengthy imprisonment thanks to the strength he received from faithful prayer and the Eucharist,” Pope Francis wrote. “Let us not forget that prayer is the primary missionary activity and at the same time ‘the first strength of hope.’”
Vietnamese Venerable Van Thuan’s story is one of remarkable perseverance under severe anti-Christian repression. Ordained a bishop in 1967, he was arrested after the fall of Saigon in 1975, being imprisoned in a Communist re-education camp for thirteen years, nine of which were spent in solitary confinement.
In his message for World Mission Sunday 2025, Pope Francis insists on the importance of prayer, writing that “by praying, we keep alive the spark of hope lit by God within us, so that it can become a great fire, which enlightens and warms everyone around us, also by those concrete actions and gestures that prayer itself inspires.”
The Role of the Pontifical Mission Societies in World Mission Sunday
In a special mention of The Pontifical Mission Societies, tasked with overseeing the World Mission Month activities that include World Mission Sunday, a day of prayer, reflection and giving, Pope Francis acknowledges our work in promoting the missionary responsibility of the baptized and supporting young Churches in mission territories.
The process of evangelization, Pope Francis reminded us, “does not end with the initial preaching of the Gospel and with Baptism, but continues with the building up of Christian communities through the accompaniment of each of the baptized along the path of the Gospel.”
“Here I would emphasize once more the importance of the missionary synodality of the Church, as well as the service rendered by The Pontifical Mission Societies in promoting the missionary responsibility of the baptized and supporting new Particular Churches,” the Holy Father wrote. “I urge all of you, children, young people, adults and the elderly, to participate actively in the common evangelizing mission of the Church by your witness of life and prayer, by your sacrifices and by your generosity. A Call to Support the Missions.”
As we reflect on Pope Francis’ message, we are reminded that World Mission Sunday is not just a day of prayer—it is also an opportunity to materially support those who dedicate their lives to spreading the Gospel. The funds collected each year in every single parish in the world, no matter how big or small, directly aid Catholic communities in mission territories, helping build churches, buy bibles, support seminarians and novices, sustain religious sisters and catechists, and provide for the pastoral and humanitarian needs of millions.
The Church still values and needs missionaries today—not just priests and religious, but all baptized Catholics who can be, in their own way, bearers of hope. Whether through prayer, financial contributions, or simply sharing the missionary spirit in daily life, every Catholic is called to take part in this mission.
As we approach World Mission Sunday 2025, let us respond to the Holy Father’s call and take part in this great mission of hope. Together, we can ensure that the light of the Gospel reaches the farthest corners of the earth, renewing hearts and restoring hope.
Do you want to respond to the Holy Father’s call, join The Pontifical Mission Societies USA efforts by volunteering in your parish this World Mission Sunday? Leave us your email and we will be in touch!
Repond to the Holy Father’s Call
