Fr. Gerard’s Weekly Column: 10/20/24

“Go and Invite Everyone to the Banquet”

Today we celebrate World Mission Sunday. World Mission Sunday is celebrated on the second-to-last Sunday of October, and is a day set aside by the Catholic Church to remember and support the mission work being done around the world. This special day is mandated by the Code of Canon Law, and is crucial for sustaining the Church’s outreach in over 1,150 mission territories.

The Impact of World Mission Sunday for the Church in the United States: The Church in the United States was once mission territory, heavily reliant on support from Catholics worldwide. Today, U.S. Catholics have the opportunity to return that generosity by supporting global missions.

Run by the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, one of four Pontifical Mission Societies, this day of giving has seen the Church come together on the Pope’s request since 1926, when Pope Pius XI made this the only canonically mandatory universal collection.

The World Mission Sunday collection is inspired in the efforts made by laywoman Blessed Pauline Jaricot, who founded the Society for the Propagation of the Faith back in 1822. She asked her friends to pray for the Church in mission territories daily, and donate a penny a week. Two-thirds of those first pennies raised were sent to the vast diocese of Louisiana, which then extended from the Florida Keys to Canada. In the United States, we benefited from the collection held by the Society until 1908. Throughout the years, we received $7 million, the equivalent of over $250 million today.

Supporting Mission Territories: “Go and invite everyone to the banquet” is the theme chosen by Pope Francis for this year’s World Mission Sunday celebration. This table is set by those who answer Christ’s call to “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19), extending an inclusive invitation to all corners of the Earth, especially in territories where it has not yet been received, has been only recently embraced, or is courageously upheld in the face of persecution: From the windswept plains of Mongolia to the dense forests of the Amazon, contributions from the faithful all over the world, your contributions, have made you a partaker in this holy mission—a mission that continues to invite everyone to experience the boundless love of God.

Faith in Action: Participating in World Mission Sunday is a tangible way for Catholics to live out the Great Commission, bringing the message of Christ to the ends of the earth. It’s an expression of solidarity with missionaries and a means to share Christ’s love universally.

Theme for 2024: Pope Francis has chosen the theme “Go and invite everyone to the banquet,” inspired by the parable of the wedding banquet in Matthew 22:9. This theme emphasizes two core aspects:

Going Out:    Mission work involves going out into the world, reaching out to those who have not heard the Gospel, and inviting them to experience God’s love. It’s a call to be active and engaged in spreading the faith.

Inviting Everyone:    The invitation is universal, reflecting God’s love for all. It calls on us to welcome everyone to the feast of the Eucharist and the ultimate banquet in the Kingdom of God.

Much More than a Collection:  World Mission Sunday is meant to be the culmination of a month dedicated to praying and learning about the missions. Mission Magazine is a quarterly publication of The Pontifical Mission Societies. There, you can find stories of missionaries and the impact this day of prayer and giving has all over the world. You can also find resources for celebrating the missions throughout October on the website, onefamilyinmission.org, and you can hear stories from missionaries on the podcast, Frontiers of Faith.

Peace,