POPE LEO XIV CALLS FOR UNITY IN MISSION AS WORLD MISSION SUNDAY MARKS 100 YEARS
Pope Leo XIV has called on Catholics worldwide to renew their commitment to evangelization through unity, prayer, sacrifice and practical support, as the Church marked 100 years of World Mission Sunday on October 18, 2026.
In his message for the centenary celebrations, under the theme “One in Christ, United in Mission,” the Holy Father urged the Church to continue its missionary journey with joy and zeal warning that conflicts, polarization, misunderstandings and mutual distrust weaken the Church’s witness, while stressing that evangelization requires hearts reconciled and committed to communion.
He further emphasized that mission is the responsibility of every baptized person, regardless of vocation or state of life. He called on Catholics to contribute according to their gifts, noting that prayers and practical support help bring the Gospel, particularly to the poorest and those most in need.
“Every gift, no matter how small, becomes a meaningful act of missionary communion,” he said, encouraging the faithful to support missionaries and the work of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS).
Echoing the Pope’s message in Kenya and at the national level, Fr. Bonaventure Luchidio, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Kenya, called on Catholics to recognize their baptismal responsibility to proclaim Christ wherever they live and work.
Fr. Luchidio said the centenary was an opportunity to appreciate the missionaries who brought the faith to earlier generations while challenging today’s Catholics to carry it forward.
He explained that mission was not limited to travelling to distant countries, as it could begin with a neighbor, family member, colleague or anyone who needed to encounter Christ.
According to Fr. Luchidio, ordinary Catholics can participate through prayer, personal sacrifice and financial contributions. Those unable to travel for missionary work can support it by donating through PMS, which channels resources to communities according to their needs.
Fr. Luchidio also called for deeper formation and catechesis so that Christians could demonstrate their faith through integrity and responsible conduct in public and private life.
At the Archdiocese of Nairobi, Fr. Francis Njoroge, the diocesan PMS Director, echoed the call for every Christian to participate in the Church’s missionary responsibility through prayer, unity and practical support.
Fr. Njoroge reminded the faithful that World Mission Sunday calls Christians to pray for missionaries, support their work and help communities in need.
The Archdiocese’s PMS office promotes participation in universal missionary prayers and collections, raises awareness of the needs of mission territories and facilitates support for missionary activities.
World Mission Sunday was established in 1926 by Pope Pius XI through the Society for the Propagation of the Faith to promote missionary awareness, prayer and financial support for the Church’s evangelizing work.
