The Holy Father’s Intentions: For A Shared Mission

October has always been one of my favorite months as a Catholic in the calendar year. For one, one of my favorite missionary saints, St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s feast day is in October. Second, World Mission Sunday only happens once a year and it’s also during October.

What is World Mission Sunday (WMS)? WMS is a a particular Sunday set aside every year to renew and reinvigorate the Catholic Church around the world of her inherit missionary identity. It is also a time to honor the men, women, and children in our Church who have left their native homes to be missionaries to the unreached, poor, or complacent around the world. 

Each year, Pope Francis has marked WMS with a different theme. This year, on October 20th, Pope Francis drew WMS’ inspiration from the Gospel of Matthew: “Go and invite everyone to the banquet.”

The message to “go out” and “invite” are exactly what makes each of us, and the Church, missionary by nature. 

It is no mistake that Pope Francis also dedicated this month’s prayer intention to be:

“For a shared mission—We pray that the Church continue to sustain in all ways a Synodal lifestyle, as a sign of co-responsibility, promoting the participation, the communion and the mission shared among priests, religious and lay people.”

Whether the Lord has called us to be a priest, a nun, or just a faithful, Catholic family or single individual, we each share in the co-responsibility to the message of the Gospel. We are called to promote greater participation in our Sacraments, the joy of growing in a greater relationship with Jesus, and the life we gain from being in communion with God and our parish community. 

We are called to one mission together here on earth—to go and invite everyone we encounter to the person of Jesus Christ and make disciples of all nations.

Perhaps your priest may not mention WMS on October 20th during his homily or even focus on the topic of missions. Regardless, pray the Pope’s intention for this month and ask the Holy Spirit during October how you are being called to participate in a greater way to the Church’s mission identity. How will you go and invite others to the banquet? 

If you would like to read Pope Francis’ WMS address, you can read it here.