World Mission Sunday – October 24 – save the date

World Mission Sunday – the one day in the year when the entire global Church comes together in support of mission – will happen on October 24 – and East Anglia can take part too.

Rebecca Bretherton, East Anglia Diocesan Coordinator for the New Evangelisation said: “Jesus Christ told us all that we should go and proclaim the gospel message to all nations. As a Catholic living in a parish in East Anglia, that can seem a bit overwhelming. How can I do what Our Lord asks of me?

“World Mission Sunday helps us answer that question. We can all support missionaries in our prayers and by supporting the organisations who assist their work. In the same way that Christians helped the missionaries who came to East Anglia many centuries ago, we can each be part of Christ’s mission for the whole world.”

Coordinated by Missio, the Pope’s charity for world mission, World Mission Sunday is an opportunity to support every mission diocese and faith community which are in need of our help.  

It one of only three Papal collections and has been especially chosen by the Holy Father to support the mission of the Church in the world via Missio.

The theme the Holy Father has chosen this year is: ‘We cannot but speak about what we have seen and heard’ (Acts 4:20). In his message for World Mission Sunday, Pope Francis says:

“Once we experience the power of God’s love we cannot help but proclaim and share what we have seen and heard. Jesus’ relationship with his disciples and his humanity shows us the extent to which God loves our humanity and makes his own our joys and sufferings, our hopes and our concerns.”

Our prayer, reflection and material help are a lifeline to missionaries in all continents who are striving to preach and live the Good News that God loves us, says Missio.

“World Mission Sunday is vital to the growth of the Church and the spread of the Gospel in predominately impoverished and remote areas overseas. Masses and collections will happen in every diocese across the world, and every single donation supports churches, hospitals, schools and vocations in countries where the Church is new, young or poor.

“One of the wonderful things about World Mission Sunday is that every parish around the world prays for and financially supports our global Church. For example, in 2020 the Church in Bangladesh gave just over £3,000 and the Church in Malawi gave almost £18,500.

“These funds raised build much-needed infrastructure, from chapels and schools to orphanages, clinics and dispensaries. Requested by the local community, the support from Missio transforms lives and creates a hub from which the young Church can flourish and grow.

“On World Mission Sunday itself, we will be honouring the brave and selfless women and men already making a huge difference in some the world’s most troubled areas,” says Missio

You can find out more about WMS21 on 24 October at missio.org.uk/wms

Picture of Pope Francis courtesy of Missio.

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