杏MAP导航

By Vatican News

The Catholic Church鈥檚 World Mission Day 2020 will be observed as usual on October 18, the Vatican said on Friday. 

鈥淚n response to some requests about the celebration of World Mission Day 2020, the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples confirms that it will be celebrated this year at the universal level on Sunday, October 18, with no change in the calendar,鈥� the Congregation said in a press release.

Several worldwide observances of the Catholic Church have been postponed and rescheduled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.  In many countries and regions, Holy Masses and liturgies are being streamed live or are celebrated in keeping with health protocols. 

The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples has now confirmed that World Mission Day, this year, will be observed as usual on the penultimate Sunday of October. Most of the countries observe it on that day.  

鈥淚n many dioceses,鈥� the Congregation noted, 鈥渢he preparation for World Mission Day has been underway for some time and the missionary animation of the People of God remains pre-eminent.鈥�

鈥淔aith, in fact, by its very nature, is missionary and the celebration of World Mission Day serves to keep this essential dimension of the Christian faith alive in all the faithful.鈥�

Collection to support mission lands

The Congregation, which oversees the missionary work and related activities of the Catholic Church worldwide, said it also 鈥渞elies on the sense of communion and co-responsibility of the bishops for the collection of that Day in favour of the Pontifical Mission Societies, which work in a universal context for an equitable support of the Churches in mission territories鈥�.

杏MAP导航鈥檚 message

On Pentecost Sunday, May 31, 杏MAP导航 Francis released his message for this year鈥檚 celebration. Based on theme taken from the Book of Isaiah, 鈥淗ere am I, send me鈥�, the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 message says that the Covid-19 pandemic is an opportunity for mission and service to others.

World Mission Day, or Mission Sunday, was instituted by 杏MAP导航 Pius XI in 1926, to remind Catholics about their commitment and support to the missionary work of the Church through prayer and sacrifice.