World Mission Sunday is a day set aside for Catholics worldwide to recommit themselves to the church's missionary activity through prayer and sacrifice.
In 2010, World Mission Sunday is celebrated on October 24 and has as its theme “Building Ecclesial communion is the Key to Mission. Ecclesial communion is born of the encounter with the Son of God, Jesus Christ. His sacrifice of love builds the church as his body, uniting us both with the Triune God and among ourselves.
Annually, World Mission Sunday is celebrated on the next-to-last Sunday in October and is "an important day in the life of the church because it teaches how to give: as an offering made to God, in the Eucharistic celebration and for all the missions of the world" (see Redemptoris Missio 81).
Pope John Paul II has also spoken of the Propagation of the Faith's General Fund of support, calling this a "central fund of solidarity." In a message delivered on a World Mission Sunday, the pope said: "The offerings that will be collected [on World Mission Sunday] are destined for a common fund of solidarity distributed, in the pope's name, by the Society for the Propagation of the Faith among the missions and missionaries of the entire world."
Every year the needs of the Catholic Church in the missions grow - as new dioceses are formed, as new seminaries are opened because of the growing number of young men hearing Christ's call to follow him as priests, as areas devastated by war or natural disaster are rebuilt, and as other areas, long suppressed, are opening up to hear the message of Christ and his church. That is why the involvement and commitment of Catholics from around the world is so urgently needed. Offerings from Catholics in the United States, on World Mission Sunday and throughout the year, are combined with offerings to the Propagation of the Faith worldwide.
Mission dioceses - about 1,500 at this time - receive regular annual assistance from the funds collected. In addition, these mission dioceses submit requests to the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples for assistance, among other needs, for catechetical programs, seminaries, the work of religious communities, for communication and transportation needs, and for the building of chapels, churches, orphanages and schools. These needs are matched with the funds gathered in each year. The world's national directors of the Propagation of the Faith vote on these requests, matching the funds available with the greatest needs. These funds are then distributed, in their entirety, to mission dioceses throughout the world.
The money obtained from this World Mission Sunday collection is used to benefit all God’s people both spiritually and financially by supporting them in their struggle. Everyone is asked to pray and even though we are in financial straits to offer concrete help to support those in need. This is a true act of love and sharing which will support those in need in addition to supporting the formation of priests, religious and catechists in the most distant lands who will in turn spread the “Good News” and love of Jesus and aid in forming young ecclesial communities.
