As we prepare to celebrate World Mission Sunday on Oct. 20, we are reminded of the global mission of the Church and the important role we play in supporting those who bring the Gospel to the farthest reaches of the world. This mission resonates deeply with our Archdiocesan Synod’s call to be witnesses of Christ and to build communities that serve evangelization, as outlined in my pastoral letter, “You Will Be My Witnesses: Gathered and Sent From the Upper Room.”
The history of World Mission Sunday dates to 1926, when Pope Pius XI instituted this special day to encourage Catholics worldwide to pray for and support mission territories where the Church is young, poor or struggling. Inspired by Blessed Pauline Jaricot, who founded the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, one of four Pontifical Mission Societies that oversees the collection, this initiative has fueled the growth of the Church across continents. Catholics from all walks of life contributed as little as a penny a week, and these small donations laid the foundations for churches, schools and communities in places where the Good News was just taking root.
In fact, our own Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has deep ties to the mission spirit. When our diocese was established in 1850, it was considered mission territory itself, and we received funds from the Society for the Propagation of the Faith to help build the Church in this region. Missionaries like Father Lucien Galtier, the first priest assigned to minister to French Canadian settlers in what was then called Pig’s Eye (now St. Paul), played a key role in establishing the Catholic presence in Minnesota. Few cities in our country can say as clearly as we can that, “In the beginning, there was a parish.” Father Galtier built this little log chapel, and it became a cathedral and a school and a hospital, and the name of the city and the name of the capital of Minnesota.
As the Church grew here, we became a missionary diocese in our own right. Archbishop John Ireland, known for his visionary leadership, sent priests and laypeople to serve in mission fields around the country and the world. Our rich missionary tradition continues today through organizations like the Center for Mission, the local branch of the national office of The Pontifical Mission Societies, which promotes and coordinates outreach efforts both locally and globally, helping to build bridges of faith between our archdiocese and more than 120 countries.
This year’s World Mission Sunday theme, “Go and invite everyone to the banquet,” was chosen by our Holy Father Pope Francis, and it reminds us that we are all called to be part of this mission. When you contribute to the World Mission Sunday collection, you are helping to bring the Gospel to life in places that desperately need hope, just as missionaries once brought hope to the early Catholics of Minnesota.
Your donations do more than support the material needs of the Church — they provide the foundation for spiritual growth. Funds from this collection help to build churches, train seminarians, and provide for the basic needs of communities in mission territories. Just as our archdiocese once relied on the generosity of others to grow, today we are blessed to be able to give back to mission territories in places like Asia, Africa, Oceania and Latin America.
In the spirit of our Archdiocesan Synod’s vision of missionary discipleship, I invite you to prayerfully consider how you might support this vital work. Through your generosity, you are offering an invitation to the banquet of God’s love to people across the world who may never have heard the Gospel message.
All are called as missionary disciples. Together, let us answer Christ’s call and continue to extend that invitation to all. May God bless you abundantly for your missionary spirit and your faithful support.
