World Mission Sunday and extending Christ’s love across the world through prayer, sacrifice and generosity
Father Woodrow H. Pace Director of the Mission Office
H ope and zeal in the name of Jesus Christ are ever-vital gifts for humanity, especially now in our divided and broken world. We are reminded of our dependence on God in each place where human suffering is intense and visible. We raise our prayers to Him with earnest pleas for consolation and relief. Although He can and does, in some circumstances, God seldom simply takes away our sorrows. Instead, He accompanies us intimately and powerfully through the incarnation of His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Brother.
Bishop Battersby consistently emphasizes the importance of love as a remedy for our hardships. He reminds us that love is the only way during his confirmation homilies, words of encouragement and conversations with leaders throughout the diocese. But he is clear to say that it is not just any kind of love; it must be a divine love—love itself, exchanged through the power of the Holy Spirit
In his vision for the “Rebuild My Church” initiative in the Diocese of La Crosse, this power is modeled by discipleship in Jesus and accompaniment with one another. Together, our hearts find a home in the wounded Sacred Heart of our Savior and together we walk with Him toward deeper faith and strength. In short, we are healed for eternal life and carry within us an infinite love.
A Century of Shared Mission
October 18, 2026, marks World Mission Sunday, a day dedicated to extending our companionship to the entire world. This vision was first articulated by Pope Pius XI in 1926 when he called on every Catholic parish to pray for missionary efforts and to hold a collection for those deprived of the resources necessary to proclaim the Gospel. Now, on the centenary of this bold move, we are drawn together in faith.
We become aware of the plight of persecuted Christians in Nigeria and the vast population living in poverty across India. Compassion moves us to hold up to God the struggling Church in China and people living with violence in Central and South America. Our souls ache for missionaries bringing good news to people we know as brothers and sisters in Christ from South Sudan and Iran. We pray, and we sacrifice.
How World Mission Sunday
Supports the Church
Our national office informs us, “The funds collected on World Mission Sunday are distributed according to requests submitted by local bishops in mission territories.”
According to the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, rather than functioning as an independent fundraising effort for one particular project, the World Mission Sunday collection serves the wider pastoral needs of mission dioceses. Requests for assistance are reviewed through the international structure of The Pontifical Mission Societies, which operates under the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization, and the aid is distributed in communion with the Holy Father. Money collected in the United States is sent directly to the missionaries who requested support, with the approval of their bishop and the nuncio, the pope’s representative in the country where they serve. This process is intended to promote accountability, transparency and fair distribution of support throughout mission territories.
Throughout the world, 1,130 dioceses rely on the support coordinated through The Pontifical Mission Societies. The funds help support seminarian formation, catechists and pastoral workers, religious sisters and priests, schools and orphanages and pastoral outreach in remote communities. This is the daily life of the Church in mission.
Faith Made Visible in Mozambique
Any contribution you can make helps to improve the lives of Christians and those among whom they live. Let me share a story to illustrate this.
In Jécua, Mozambique, the Catholic parish of Our Lady of the Rosary serves 11 pastoral zones and 74 communities. It is staffed by the Franciscan Friars (OFM), an order recognized for their work at Viterbo University in La Crosse. With support from World Mission Sunday, they have built 100 homes for the poorest families. They established the “St. Francis Agricultural Institute,” which trains young people in sustainable farming practices. Additionally, they continue the “Water for All” initiative and provide access to quality education for rural students. The friars focus on evangelization through their presence, sowing faith, building community and restoring dignity.
When Franciscan missionary Father Jorge Alberto Bender, OFM, first set foot in Mozambique, he says he felt a rush of emotion mixed with questions and “a certain sense of powerlessness.” Yet behind those feelings was something deeper: the conviction that this was exactly where God was calling him to be. Missionaries like Father Jorge rely on your assistance and express gratitude to God daily.
One in Christ, United in Mission
World Mission Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026, by the invitation of Pope Leo and Bishop Battersby, makes us “One in Christ, united in mission.”
Accompaniment shared between those in need and those able to give is a sure sign that the kingdom of God is close at hand. This is our evergreen hope and zeal in Christ. As you participate in your parish, your sacrifices are cherished and multiplied in grace. God bless.