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World Mission Sunday 2015: All Called To Mission October 14th, 2015
“Being a missionary is not about proselytizing or mere strategy; mission is part of the ‘grammar’ of faith, something essential for those who listen to the voice of the Spirit who whispers ‘Come’ and ‘Go forth'”. (Pope Francis – World Mission Day, October 18, 2015)
Fr. Charles Rensburg,OMI with Bhomela community leaders in Zimbabwe celebrating a donation by St. Mary of Sorrows in Virginia, United States. The donation has enabled the village to get a borehole for clean water supply, benefitting over 3000 people.
World Mission Sunday (October 18) is a worldwide day for Catholics to reflect on the baptismal call to mission. Mission Sunday collection provides vitals support and sustain developing Catholic missions around the world especially for dioceses and mission centers in Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe, and the Pacific Islands. The theme for 2015 World Mission Sunday is All the Church for All the World.
In his Message for World Mission Day, Pope Francis says, “Mission is a passion for Jesus and at the same time a passion for his people. When we pray before Jesus crucified, we see the depth of his love which gives us dignity and sustains us. At the same time, we realize that the love flowing from Jesus’ pierced heart expands to embrace the People of God and all humanity. We realize once more that he wants to make use of us to draw closer to his beloved people and all those who seek him with a sincere heart. In Jesus’ command to ‘go forth’, we see the scenarios and ever-present new challenges of the Church’s evangelizing mission.” (Pope Frances, Message for World Mission Day 2015).
Pope Francis concludes by extending this call to the universal Church: “The Gospel is the source of joy, liberation and salvation for all men and women…In the full range of the Church’s missionary activity, all the faithful are called to live their baptismal commitment to the fullest, in accordance with the personal situation of each.”
The work of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in bringing the Gospel to the poorest of the poor is an answer to this call of the Mission and Spirit. Currently nearly 4,000 Oblates are dedicated to bringing the good news to the poor in over 60 countries through life in community and in collaboration with men and women of all faiths.
There are many ways we can respond to this call:
- Continue to pray for Missions and please give generously on World Mission Sunday
- Read the full text of the Holy Father’s message here
