Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Sunday, October 22 is World Mission Sunday – an annual, worldwide Eucharistic celebration for the Mission of the Church that originated in 1926. Nearly 100 years later, World Mission Sunday is still uniting Catholics around the world into one community of faith.
“Hearts on fire, feet on the move” is Pope Francis’ message for 2023 World Mission Sunday. It was inspired by our Lord’s encounter with the disciples on the Road to Emmaus found in the Gospel of Luke (24:13-35). He encourages us to meditate on the imagery in this passage, which “reflects the journey of all missionary disciples.”
The Holy Father exhorts us to renew our zeal for evangelization in today’s world: “Let us set out again with burning hearts, with our eyes open and our feet in motion. Let us set out to make other hearts burn with the word of God, to open the eyes of others to Jesus in the Eucharist, and to invite everyone to walk together on the path of peace and salvation that God, in Christ, has bestowed upon all humanity.”
Your gift on World Mission Sunday answers the call to help more than 1,100 dioceses that cannot sustain themselves because they are too poor, young, or actively persecuted. Together, our prayers and generous donations, support our Church’s shared mission to proclaim the Gospel and serve the poor throughout the world.
I appreciate your generous support to spread the life-giving presence of the Church among the poor and marginalized on World Mission Sunday. May God always keep us “mission minded.”
In Christ our Life!
Most Reverend Jeffrey J. Walsh
Bishop of Gaylord
